Countertransference refers to the therapist developing positive or negative feelings toward a patient; acting on these feelings is considered unethical. True or False?

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Only if the feelings are positive
• D. Only in late therapy

Answer: (A)

Countertransference is the therapist’s emotional reactions toward a client, and these can be positive or negative. Acting on those feelings is unethical because it can bias clinical judgment, distort the therapeutic process, and violate professional boundaries, ultimately harming the client and the therapy relationship. The ethical approach is to acknowledge and manage countertransference—through self-reflection, supervision, and maintaining professional boundaries—so clinical decisions remain focused on the client’s best interests. It can arise at any point in therapy and with any type of emotion, not just positive ones or late in treatment. (Transference, by contrast, is the client’s feelings toward the therapist.)