Further through the Looking Glass: Transference, Countertransference, and Parallel Process in Transactional Analysis Psychotherapy and Supervision

This article considers the management of transference and countertransference phenomena in transactional analysis—including Berne's original diagrams—in terms of crossed transactions. It is suggested that transference and countertransference (from both the patient's and the therapist's perspectives) function as an inseparable, systemic whole. The concept of parallel process is presented along with an analysis of the constituent parts of the interactional field in the therapeutic relationship. It is hypothesized that this interpersonal field is mirrored or paralleled in the supervision process. It is further suggested that the mechanism for this replication is projective identification, conceived of as mutually interacting hypnotic inductions which occur out of awareness in the form of ulterior transactions.