Hey Sweepy,
I think the therapeutic setting and relationship, as well as our own issues, 'encourages' transference. I can really relate!
If she uses transference as a tool, then the way everything is unfolding in your therapy sounds like a good thing. Your relationship with her sounds positive, and transference is probably naturally occurring.
Here's some stuff for you:
Factors that increase transference
Three things can promote transference: the situation of being in need and dependent on the doctor or team; the setting of a relationship where dependency needs are recognised and met; and particular types of personality where the internal world is compellingly projected on to the present (see Box 4
⇓).
Box 4.
Factors that increase transference
Vulnerable personality, especially people with borderline features, who may rigidly project their expectations on to the present
The patient's anxiety about his or her physical or psychological safety (e.g. when sick and afraid)
Frequent contact with a service or with a keyworker
Situation
Situations in which a person is relatively helpless or afraid will increase his or her need of a protective relationship. Since this applies to most patients in the care of a psychiatric team, we should expect there to be a transference element to most treatments. However, the term ‘protective’ does not do justice to the complexity of such a relationship. A person may long for intimacy but also fear it, be intensely dependent but hate his or her dependency, become deeply attached but unable to trust the object of his or her attachment.
Setting
Any therapeutic setting where a person is seen frequently (and sometimes even infrequently) and his or her emotional needs attended to promotes transference. The patient may develop a transference relationship with a person, with a team or even with an institution. Frequent changes of keyworker are unlikely to avoid the development of transference feelings, but may displace them to the institution, which may be experienced as an unpredictable and frustrating other. A relationship where the patient feels recognised and understood improves cooperation; repeated changes of therapist are likely to impair it.
Personality
A person who has little capacity to reflect on his or her own state of mind, feelings and needs is vulnerable to acting upon feelings rather than reflecting or discussing what he or she wants.
If the patient has a vulnerable personality, is ill and afraid, and has the attention of a keyworker or team, he or she is therefore especially likely to develop transference feelings towards one or more people.
Transference and countertransference in communication between doctor and patient
This is a good one too:
Quote:
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Psychoanalysis was specifically designed to encourage transference. Intentional opacity and non-disclosure by the therapist promotes transference; the patient naturally makes assumptions about the therapist’s likes and dislikes, attitude toward the patient, life outside the office, and so forth. These assumptions are based on the patient’s experiences with, and assumptions regarding, other important relationships, such as childhood relations with parents. In this way the patient’s formative dynamics are re-created in the therapy office for both participants to observe. Patients discover that some of their assumptions about others, and themselves, are unfounded or outmoded and do not serve them well. This is an important type of insight that can lead to lasting psychological change.
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Countertransference, an overview | Reidbord's Reflections