Relationship Phenomena

Resistance and its Manifestations

Resistance appears in almost every interview as a force that opposes the process of change or revelation of unconscious material.

It manifests itself in various forms: late arrivals, absenteeism, lack of payment, prolonged silences, "forgetting" appointments, or talking about irrelevant topics (verbiage) to avoid touching on the real conflict.

It may also present as a patient crying excessively without verbalizing, using crying as a barrier. If the patient does not cooperate, the process stalls.

Transference and Countertransference

These phenomena are ubiquitous. Transference occurs when the patient projects onto the therapist figures from his or her past or current desires, seeing him or her as a parent, a savior, a friend or even a partner.

Countertransference is the therapist's emotional response to the patient, perhaps seeing him/her as a child, someone to rescue ("poor thing") or feeling attraction/rejection.

It is vital that the therapist identify these dynamics; if the countertransference impedes objectivity (e.g., seeing the patient as a potential partner), it is ethical to refer the case and seek supervision or personal therapy.

Catharsis and Abreaction

Catharsis is the release of psychic energy or emotional tension. It does not always involve a dramatic outburst; it may simply be the act of verbalizing something that was held in or even writing it down.

Abreaction, on the other hand, is an emotional discharge linked to traumatic experiences that is relived in the presence of the therapist, allowing contact with the pain in order to release it.

The therapist must be attentive to these moments in order to contain and guide the process towards the appropriate closure.

Summary

Resistance is a force that opposes change, manifesting itself through late arrivals, prolonged silences or verbiage on irrelevant topics to avoid touching the real conflict.

Transference occurs when the patient projects figures from the past onto the therapist, while countertransference is the emotional response of the professional, which must be ethically monitored.

Catharsis allows the release of emotional tension by verbalizing what has been stored, and abreaction facilitates a discharge linked to traumas, moments that the therapist must adequately contain for closure.