Countertransference in Art Therapy

Sa？etak The article is dealing with the phenomena of countertransference, which is part of every therapeutic relationship along with the transference. The article will further investigate the countertransference in art therapy and the specific use of artwork in the search for a therapist’s own emotional, physical and/or behavioral responses to the client. Two groups are compared - psychiatric patients and Holocaust survivors having personal trauma in common. In the first group trauma triggered the disorder, initiated emerging of symptoms with persons of sensitive biological and/or genetic structure and from a relatively acceptable reality brought them to perception and behavior disorders, to the development of the disease. On the other side, the Holocaust survivors, experiencing the completely irregular conditions, unbelievable and unacceptable reality of circumstances of war were the trauma and resulted in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and different psychological problems. Art therapeutic symbolic approach to the images, leaning on the idea that the picture touches the depths long before the surface is disturbed (Bachelard, G., 1969), we explore the visual content of the response art and analyze emotions and thoughts, associations and physical events in the body to examine and trace the source of the countertransference and elevate the therapeutic relationship in order to bring the client to healing. In the examples of artwork exploring the countertransference in working with these two populations, reader will be able to see the benefits of the respond art, the subconscious content which keeps the secret answers to dealing with own personal issues, which can (negatively) influence the therapeutic relationship, client’s transference, relationship with the client and his insights, ideas and directions for continuing working with them