In MFT, what is meant by "countertransference"?

Countertransference refers to the therapist's unconscious emotional responses and reactions to the client, often arising from the therapist's own unresolved conflicts, personal history, or feelings. When the therapist projects their own feelings onto the client, it can compromise their objectivity and may influence the therapeutic relationship in various ways.

In this context, the correct answer captures the essence of countertransference as it represents the therapist's projection of their own feelings onto the client. This phenomenon can lead to distorted perceptions of the client and affect the therapy process. It’s crucial for therapists to recognize and manage their countertransference reactions in order to maintain a clear and professional therapeutic stance.

Other options refer to related concepts but do not define countertransference as accurately. Emotional involvement can occur in therapy and might lead to countertransference, but it does not specifically denote the projection of the therapist's feelings onto the client. Projective identification is more about the dynamic between the therapist and the client where the therapist reacts to the client's projections, which again, is not the precise definition of countertransference. Personal biases, while they can influence a therapist's perspective, do not specifically encapsulate the concept of countertransference in the way that projection of feelings does.