Transference and Countertransference

The aim of this doctoral course is to introduce advanced clinical psychology graduate students to the basic concepts relevant to understanding transference and countertransference processes in psychotherapy. The course offers a comprehensive introduction to these constructs, and an opportunity, within a case presentation format, to consider their impact within the context of ongoing clinical work. The format for the course combines lecture and clinical case review. Requirements include assigned readings, and in-class oral clinical presentations.Rationale: The course is an elective course in the clinical practicum track and overlaps with no other course in the department. No course will be dropped to accommodate this offering. It has been taught as an experimental course and will now be added as an ongoing elective offering in the clinical subprogram.Learning Goals/Outcomes: Students will understand the historical development of the theoretical concepts of transference and countertransference as well as related concepts such as the working alliance and the real relationship. They will understand how different schools of psychotherapy conceptualize transference and countertransference. Students will become more aware of themselves as active participants in the therapeutic relationship and how racial, sexual and cultural factors interface with the development of the treatment. Students will learn to use their affective reactions as another source of information about the patient as well as the verbal content of the session. They will have the experience of hearing and reading detailed process notes of their peer's clinical work, and making constructive suggestions, as a beginning experience in peer supervision.Assessment: Students will demonstrate mastery of this learning by being able to select and integrate a set of readings into their understanding of the case and to understand the material both in terms of the patient's dynamics and those aspects of the therapist's conflicts which are evoked by the treatment.

Offer as needed

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