After reading Marcia Cirigliano's article "The Song as an Anchor," I found an interest to understand how countertransference issues play a crucial part in our work as Music Therapists. I am currently a senior Music Therapy student at the University of Lousiville, and having worked with different populations in my clinical work, I understand more fully the effects that countertransference has on the therapist, client, and others in the group.
People will encounter many definitions of countertransference in their research, with all focusing on different cultural, philosophical, and theoretical backgrounds. In this article, I will be using Bruscia's 1998 definition of countertransference as my point of reference. In this definition, Brusica states "countertransference occurs whenever a therapist interacts with a client in ways that resemble relationship patterns in either the therapist's life or the client's life." It is from this definition I have come to find that countertransference issues have developed in my work as a student due to my childhood development of growing up with my brother and my "relationship patterns." One example permeates my memories, providing me with the knowledge to fully understand how the power of countertransference can work in a dynamic way.
Cirigliano states that, "personal life situations and memories from feelings of the past are some of the various forms of interference in clinical work, coming from the domain of countertransference." I agree because my brother is mentally retarded with traits of autism, and through my life situation, I find myself very stimulated while working with the developmentally disabled and highly connected to individuals within a group that possess behavioral characteristics that my brother's. During a group activity I was observing during my clinicals, the supervisor asked that I help in a movement exercise developed to increase directional movement. When asked to help Josh, a young boy in the group, I couldn't help but feel a stronger connection to him as the activity progressed, paying more attention to him than others in the group. During the activity, Josh took my hand and held it for assistance. The physical closeness made me subconsciously feel that Josh was more like my brother than a client. It wasn't until the session was over that I was able to sort out what had occurred during the session and realize that in my subconscious, Josh had become my brother. Josh possessed physical characteristics such as minimal eye contact, self-stimulatory behaviors (e.g., a constant back-and-forth movement in the upper body), and poor eye contact that were very similar to those of my brother. Although Cirigliano speaks of the countertransference she encountered through song, I encountered it through behaviors that paralleled my brother's actions. This example was a major learning experience, for it showed me that I should always be aware of the potential for this type of countertransference when working with this population. By simply acknowledging that the countertransference was there, I was able to work through it and recognize that it could have an effect on future relationships with my clients.
Although this specific countertransference did not result in a negative outcome, in many instances this might be a possibility. It is important as therapists to understand that countertransference can occur on many levels and by working through it, goals can be met that will not only help clients but allow the therapist to understand their actions more fully. This example was a major learning experience in my studies simply because I will encounter many clients who have certain behaviors that are characteristically like my brother's. By becoming aware of this, I will make certain that the countertransference I encounter will not work against the therapeutic relationship that I am trying to develop with the client, but further the development relationship in a positive way.
Bruscia, K. E., Ed. (1998). The Dynamics of Music Psychotherapy. Gilsum, NH: Barcelona.