Countertransference refers to therapists emotional reaction during the session – to what the client is saying or experiencing. When the client is describing their past trauma, the therapist ends up being exposed to various feelings, images, or senses that are invoked in the therapist’s mind at the same time.
The limbic portion of the brain holds our emotions and is located in the central part of the brain, under the neocortex that holds our logical thoughts, speech, language, planning, and other higher level activities. Limbic countertransference refers to the emotions that the therapist is experiencing in session in the limbic portion of the therapist’s brain. The therapist’s limbic system may be activated at a subconscious level, in response to the information they are receiving from the client.
Dr. David Grand, who discovered Brainspotting therapy, describes therapists’ limbic countertransference in this YouTube video interview – https://youtu.be/GV8Ry-EG5KI
Brainspotting therapy is highly recommended for therapists themselves to clear their own emotional reactions and countertransference, so that they are able to be fully present for the clients.
Brainspotting Therapy with Elaine Korngold
I am a Certified Brainspotting Therapist and an Approved Consultant and would be happy to talk to you about Brainspotting. Brainspotting therapy accesses the genius of our deeper emotional brain. During the healing process I am fortunate to observe how intelligent, inventive, and intuitive all human beings are. Creativity is revealed through their resilience, survival, and recovery. The processing that occurs with clients focused on a Brainspot is deep, rapid, and unpredictable. During each session I wait for the surprise and I am rarely disappointed.
With your focused vision and my attuned presence and verbal guidance, emotional Brainspots can be released in a gentle and non-invasive way. There is no need to be in chronic emotional pain. Please text or email me for a free 20-minute phone consultation.