Following several months of psychoanalytic therapy, Andy starts experiencing strong emotions toward his therapist, despite the therapist maintaining a consistently caring and supportive demeanor. What is the most likely explanation for Andy’s intense feelings?

Show Answers

They stem from a sudden understanding of a past childhood event.They indicate the onset of a psychotic episode.They arise due to the process of free association.They are caused by transference in the therapeutic relationship.They are unrelated and have no psychological significance.

Explanation

Andy’s intense emotions toward his therapist are best explained by transference, a phenomenon in psychoanalysis where feelings originally directed toward important figures in the patient’s life are unconsciously redirected onto the therapist. This is a common and expected part of psychoanalytic treatment and helps in uncovering unresolved conflicts.