Transference In Relationships

995 Words2 Pages

Yalom (2005) explained transference as being “attitudes toward the therapist that had been “transferred” from earlier attitudes toward important figures in the client’s life” (p. 201). This integration paper will describe a relationship I have with a work supervisor. Followed by an explanation of how and why aspects of our interactions have been influenced by me transferring attitudes I have, regarding my grandfather, onto my supervisor. Concluding with observations I have seen in this person’s interactions with me and others that suggest transference is potentially a factor. Transference could be an explanation for the tumultuous relationship I have had with one of my current supervisors. Ever since the beginning of our work relationship …show more content…

205), or in this case, I might perceive my supervisor incorrectly because of transference distortions. By taking a closer look at our relationship I have noticed during the dysfunctional phases there are usually male co-workers involved. I regard my supervisor as giving my male counterparts more attention or more responsibilities. According to Yalom (2005), “Transference is so powerful and so ubiquitous that the dictum “the leaders shall have no favorites” seems to be essential for the stability of every working group” (p. 207). If I view my co-workers as getting more attention, than I am under the impression that the authority is showing favoritism, in effect, making the group …show more content…

Within our work organization, this particular supervisor oversees a small group of us that perform tasks separate from day-to-day operations. In the beginning this sub-group consisted of mostly women, with only one male. In the past, transference was never a factor because I knew there was a personality conflict with the one male in the group, thus I discerned us as a cohesive group because it did not feel as though one member was being favored over the other. More recently, the dynamics of the group have changed with an exit of old members and entrance of new members. With the addition of two more male members, my placement in the group feels threatened because of the interactions my supervisor has had with my two male co-workers. There have been several policy changes, but the information did not come from my supervisor, it came from a male co-worker. Why did my supervisor choose to confide in my male co-worker over anyone else? On top of that there have been some negative comments directed at myself and a female co-worker, in addition, unfavorable work tasks that have been assigned to only

Open Document