Which statement best defines transference?

• A. Transference is the redirection of a client's feelings for a significant person to the social worker.
• B. Transference is the redirection of the social worker's feelings toward the client.
• C. Transference is the process of resolving conflicting feelings in therapy.
• D. Transference is a technique to manage boundaries during therapy.

Answer: (A)

Transference occurs when a client unconsciously redirects feelings from important people in their life onto the therapist. Those feelings—whether love, anger, fear, or dependency—are about past relationships (often with a parent or another significant figure) but are experienced toward the social worker in the therapy session. This dynamic can illuminate unresolved issues and patterns, offering an opportunity for insight and change when the therapist thoughtfully observes and manages it. The other options describe related but distinct ideas: the therapist’s own emotional reactions toward the client (countertransference), the general process of resolving conflicting feelings, or using boundaries as a technique, none of which define transference itself.