A counselor will often feel anxious if he or she identifies a dislike for a client.

A counselor will often feel anxious if he or she identifies a dislike for a client.

• A. True
• B. Sometimes
• C. Not sure
• D. False

Answer: (D)

Countertransference is when a counselor’s own feelings toward a client influence the therapeutic relationship. Recognizing a dislike for a client is a common countertransference signal, and noticing that feeling is an important first step. The key is how the counselor responds: the best practice is to acknowledge the reaction, explore where it might be coming from, and seek supervision or reflection to ensure it doesn’t distort judgments, interpretations, or interventions. Saying you will often feel anxious when you identify a dislike overgeneralizes the response; anxiety can occur for some, but many counselors manage the feeling calmly or use it as information to better understand the client. So the statement is false because professional practice emphasizes managing the reaction rather than assuming frequent anxiety will always follow.

Countertransference is when a counselor’s own feelings toward a client influence the therapeutic relationship. Recognizing a dislike for a client is a common countertransference signal, and noticing that feeling is an important first step. The key is how the counselor responds: the best practice is to acknowledge the reaction, explore where it might be coming from, and seek supervision or reflection to ensure it doesn’t distort judgments, interpretations, or interventions. Saying you will often feel anxious when you identify a dislike overgeneralizes the response; anxiety can occur for some, but many counselors manage the feeling calmly or use it as information to better understand the client. So the statement is false because professional practice emphasizes managing the reaction rather than assuming frequent anxiety will always follow.