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Maximizing Participant Interactions: “Transference” Revealed

Welcome

Paul Warren, LMSW

NDRI, Inc., The Training Institute

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Guidelines

Sharing in a professional context “I” statements One at a time Focus Cells/Pagers OFF – No Texting Respect Listen to each other

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Goal & Objectives Goal: Increase knowledge about the

transference dynamic; normalize & employ transference and engage in self-care

Objectives: Define transference List two types of transference List at least three “service barriers” unconscious

transference can create Identify at least two ways transference can be

employed Identify two ways transference can be managed

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Introduction Trainer NDRI & TI My background

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Transference

Normal Unconscious (usually) Conscious (can be made so) Happening right now

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Role Pole - Activity Large group Who do I remind

you of? How do you feel

about them?

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Transference Defined Unconscious redirection of feelings from

one person to another … inappropriate repetition in the present of

a relationship that was important in a person’s childhood

… reproduction of emotions relating to repressed experiences, especially of childhood, and the substitution of another person… for the original object of the repressed impulses

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History

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History continued Transference first described by Sigmund

Freud, acknowledged its importance for psychoanalysis for better understanding of the patient’s feelings

Noted that many of his patients at some point begin to place certain feelings, romantic love or parental love, onto the therapist

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History continued Therapist could use this

position/event to help restore the client to more normal feelings by responding in ways unlike that of the person upon which the original feelings were based

Corrective emotional experience (in therapy)

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History continued Carl Jung

…within the transference dyad both participants typically experience a variety of opposites, that in love and in psychological growth, the key to success is the ability to endure the tension of the opposites without abandoning the process, …this tension allows one to grow and to transform

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Types of Transference

Positive

Negative

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Barriers & Benefits Small groups Brainstorm Follow trainers

instructions

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NOT Therapy - Drug Court Application

Be aware Strong feelings

Participants You

Don’t panic - Normal Use it; make it work for you Act to care

Service interaction Self

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Vicarious Trauma, VT People who work with people affected

by trauma(s), past or current may be vulnerable to VT

VT described as cumulative emotional, physical and spiritual transformations experienced by people who work with traumatized populations

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Benefits in Danger

The benefits you and participants experience are in danger if VT goes unacknowledged and unmanaged.

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VT continued

VT affects workers in many obvious and subtle ways:

Feelings of fear, vulnerability Difficulty trusting, aversion to forming

relationships Hopelessness about being able to make

a difference in clients lives

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VT continued Cynical view of the world

Workers may experience parallel emotional reactions to their clients and mirror clients physical symptoms

VT different than “burnout”, burnout usually due to the affect of concrete stressors, i.e. physical environment, work hours

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VT continued Individual Phenomenon Cumulative Process

Different than counter- transference, intensifies over time with multiple clients (repeated exposures without relief)

Pervasive

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VT Bottom Line

VT preventable & manageable

Workers can develop effective self-care plans

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VT Bottom Line continued

VT left unacknowledged, unmanaged inevitably leads to poor, unhelpful and potentially destructive worker/participant interactions

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Self-Care Hearing intense/traumatic human stories

impacts those who listen

Ignored stress can accumulate into emotional, physical and spiritual transformations, VT

Your current or past history may make you more vulnerable

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Self-Care continued

Know thy self

Check in with self to know thy self

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ABCs to Self-Care Model A = Awareness, self-aware, self-

reflective B = Balance, don’t let work become your

life, maintain healthy boundaries, develop & maintain interests outside of work

C = Connect, don’t work in isolation (use your team) develop/maintain positive connections; reminders of rewarding elements of life

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At Work Self-Care

Within your Court develop/use

Regular supportive supervision Peer/team support Informal socializing Management initiated and supported

efforts to bolster camaraderie (team spirit)

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Use of Transference - Activity Small groups Not therapy; how

to take care of service interaction & self

Follow trainers instructions

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Final Thoughts

Transference is normal It’s happening right now Awareness & action are key Use it; make it work for you Take care of yourself – Act ABCs Thank you

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Protect The Most Valuable Resource