‘Physician, heal thyself’: an exploration of countertransference resistance in a range of occupational contexts

This article begins with a summary of countertransference as a phenomenon in psychoanalytic encounters and describes how discussions on its importance in the therapeutic alliance between analyst and analysand have changed and developed over time. At different points, countertransference has been regarded as a potential barrier to therapy and as an important aspect of the psychoanalytic situation; and this difference of opinion is one reason why countertransference resistance is an interesting topic of discussion and debate. The authors argue that if openness to countertransference is itself an example of discovery and (potentially) creation as far as the relationship between analyst and analysand, then resistance to it by the analyst needs to be explored for its causes and the inhibiting effect it has on the therapeutic process and the professional development of the analyst. The authors also contend that countertransference resistance (or something akin to it) is not confined to psychoanalysis. Scenarios and reflections are offered from the perspectives of a teacher, author and analyst to highlight the interdisciplinary, cross-professional nature of countertransference resistance and the impact it has on the various fields of work.