(((Lonesome)))

I think it reflects your unmet needs, whatever they may be.

For me, strong paternal transference is about having no relationship with my father, who was both emotionally and physically unavailable. There's an age where most girls want to venture away from her mother and be sort of best buddies with her father. I never had that and have yearned to have that with my therapist. A meaningful, playful, attentive, and safe relationship where I feel cared about and protected by a man I adore.

My guess is that having a relationship like that as a child would help improve self-worth. Not sure how it works as an adult. I suppose feeling good being in a relationship can lead to new behaviors. New, positive behaviors do improve self-worth over time, especially when cumulative.