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In the 1950s, Lacan presents countertransference as a RESISTANCE, an obstacle which hinders the progress of psychoanalytic treatment. Like all resistances to treatment, countertransference is ultimately a resistance of the analyst. Thus Lacan defines countertransference as <ref>[[French]]: ''contre-transfert'the sum of the prejudices, passions, perplexities, and even the insufficient information of the analyst at a certain moment of the dialectical process' of the treatment (Ec, 225).</ref>

Lacan refers to two of [[Freud's case studies to illustrate what he means. In 1951, he refers to ]] used the Dora case (Freud, 1905e), and argues that Freudterm 's [[countertransference was rooted in his belief that heterosexuality is natural rather than normative, and in his identification with Herr K. Lacan argues that it was these two factors which caused Freud ]]' to handle the treatment badly and provoke denote the [[analyst]]'negative transference' which led to Dora breaking off s [[unconscious]] [[feelings]] toward the treatment (Lacan, 1951a)[[analysand]].

In 1957 Lacan presents a similar analysis of Although [[Freud's treatment of ]] only used the young homosexual woman (Freudterm very rarely, 1920a)it became much more widely used in [[psychoanalytic theory]] after his [[death]]. He argues that when Freud interpreted In particular, [[analyst]]s soon divided over the woman's dream as expressing a wish role allotted to deceive him, he was focusing on the imaginary dimension [[countertransference]] in discussions of the woman's transference rather than on the symbolic dimension (S4, 135). That is, Freud interpreted the dream as something directed at him personally, rather than as something directed at the Other[[technique]].

Hence Lacan does not entirely reject Paula Heimann'On the one hand, many [[analyst]]s position. He accepts argued that analysts have feelings towards their patients[[counter-transference]] manifestations were the result of incompletely analysed elements in the [[analyst]], and that sometimes such manifestations should therefore be reduced to a minimum by a more complete [[training]] [[analysis]]. On the other hand, some [[analyst can direct ]]s from the treatment better [[Klein]]ian [[school]], beginning with Paula Heimann, argued that the [[analyst]] should be guided in his [[interpretation]]s by reflecting on these feelings. For examplehis own [[countertransference]] reactions, if Freud had reflected a bit more on taking his own feelings towards as an indicator of the [[patient]]'s state of mind. Whereas the young homosexual womanformer group regarded [[countertransference]] as an obstacle to [[analysis]], he might have avoided interpreting her dream the latter group regarded it as a message addressed directly to him (S4, 108)useful tool.

No one has ever said that In the 1950s, [[[[Lacan]]]] describes [[countertransference]] as a [[resistance]], an obstacle which hinders the [[progress]] of [[psychoanalytic]] [[treatment]].[[Countertransference]] is a [[resistance]] of the [[analyst should never have feelings towards his patient]]. But he must know not only not to give into themThus [[[[Lacan]]]] defines [[countertransference]] as 'the sum of the prejudices, [[passion]]s, to keep them in their placeperplexities, but also how to make adequate use and even the insufficient information of the [[analyst]] at a certain moment of the [[dialectic]]al process' of them in his techniquethe [[treatment]]. (Sl, 32)<ref>{{Ec}} p.225</ref>

[[[[Lacan]]]] refers to two of [[Freud]]'s case studies to illustrate what he means. In 1951, he refers to the [[Dora]] case, and argues that [[Freud]]'s [[countertransference]] was rooted in his [[belief]] that [[heterosexuality]] is [[natural]] rather than [[normative]], and in his [[identification]] with Herr K. [[[[Lacan]]]] argues that it was these two factors which caused [[Freud]] to handle the [[treatment]] badly and provoke the 'negative transference' which led to [[Dora]] breaking off the [[treatment]] <ref>[[Lacan]], 1951a</ref>. In 1957 [[Lacan]] presents a similar [[analysis]] of Freud's treatment of the young homosexual woman <ref>Freud, 1920a</ref>. He argues that when Freud interpreted the woman's dream as expressing a wish to deceive him, he was focusing on the imaginary dimension of the woman's transference rather than on the symbolic dimension <ref>S4, 135</ref>. That is, Freud interpreted the dream as something directed at him personally, rather than as something directed at the Other. [[Lacan]] argues that Freud did this because he found the woman attractive and because he identified with the woman's father <ref>{{S4}} p.106-9</ref>. Once again, Freud's [[countertransference]] brought the [[treatment]] to a premature end, though this time it was [[Freud]] who decided to terminate it. The preceding examples might seem to suggest that [[Lacan]] aligns himself with those [[analyst]]s who argue that the training [[analysis]] should give the [[analyst]] the capacity to transcend all affective reactions to the [[patient]]. However, [[Lacan]] absolutely rejects this point of view, which he dismisses as a 'stoical ideal' <ref>{{S8}} p.219</ref>. The training [[analysis]] does not put the [[analyst]] beyond passion, and to believe that it does would be to believe that all the passions stem from the unconscious, an idea which [[Lacan]] rejects. If anything, the better analysed the [[analyst]] is, the more likely he is to be frankly in love with, or be quite repulsed by, the [[analysand]] <ref>{{S8}} p.220</ref>. If, then, the [[analyst]] does not act on the basis of these feelings, it is not because his training [[analysis]] has drained away his passions, but because it has given him a desire which is even stronger than those passions, a desire which [[Lacan]] calls the [[desire of the [[analyst]]]].<ref>{{S8}} p.220-1</ref> Hence [[Lacan]] does not entirely reject Paula Heimann's position. He accepts that [[analyst]]s have feelings towards their [[patient]]s, and that sometimes the [[analyst]] can direct the treatment better by reflecting on these feelings. For example, if Freud had reflected a bit more on his feelings towards the young homosexual woman, he might have avoided interpreting her dream as a message addressed directly to him <ref>{{S4}} p.108</ref>. No one has ever said that the [[analyst]] should never have feelings towards his [[patient]]. But he must know not only not to give into them, to keep them in their place, but also how to make adequate use of them in his technique. <ref>{{Sl}} p.32</ref> If [[countertransference ]]is condemned by [[Lacan]], then, it is because he defines it not in terms of affects felt by the [[analyst]], but as the [[analyst]]'s failure to use those affects appropriately. In the 1960s [[Lacan ]] becomes very critical of the term countertransference.He argues that it connotes a symmetrical relationship between the [[analyst ]] and the [[analysand]], whereas the transference is anything but a symmetrical relationship. When speaking of the [[analyst]]'s position it is both misleading and unnecessary to use the term countertransference; it is sufficient to speak of the different ways in which the [[analyst ]] and [[analysand ]] are implicated in the transference (<ref>{{S8, }} 233)</ref>. 'The transference is a phenomenon in which subject and psycho-analyst are both included. To divide it in terms of transference and counter-transference . . . is never more than a way of avoiding the essence of the matter' (<ref>{{Sll, }} 231)</ref>.

Countertransference is a term in psychotherapy, denoting a condition where the therapist, as a result of the therapy sessions, begins to transfer the therapist's own repressed feelings to the [[patient]]. It is also defined as the entire body of feelings that the therapist has toward the [[patient]].

Countertransference is defined in oppositon to transference, where a person in therapy begins to transfer feelings (<ref>whether positive or negative) </ref> to the therapist. For example, the person in therapy may begin to look at the therapist as if the therapist were the [[patient]]'s mother, transferring their feelings for the real mother to the therapist. This is considered a positive sign in psychoanalytic therapy, showing that the [[patient ]] is making progress.

In On Becoming a Counselor, Eugene Kennedy states that [[countertransference ]]has the potential to be present in any counseling relationship. He states that it is often one of the biggest challenges for a new counselor to overcome, and while there is no way to totally overcome the problem of counter-transference (<ref>since as Humans we all form opinions of others) </ref> learning to not let [[countertransference ]]affect a counseling relationship is key. The mantra "only connect" is often associated with this effect.