Economic Countertransference
 Author Dr. José Acosta Santos. Cuban Transcultural Psychiatrist. Psychotherapist

We begin this commentary, which aspires to become an article, referencing concepts

epresse!, firstly by "reu! in Psychotherapeutic #elations$

%Transference is the psychic function in which the sub&ect may transfer unconsciously

an! reli'e, in their new relations, their pre'ious feelings, emotions, thoughts, epectations, or

represse! chil!hoo! wishes an! wants.(

)n *+*, in his inaugural speech !uring the secon! Congress of Psychoanalysis, "reu!

spo-e regar!ing inno'ations intro!uce! in psychoanalytic techniues an! the nee! for sai!

inno'ations to continue being !e'elope!. "reu! a!!resses how countertransference %is instille!

in the !octor !ue to the influence that the patient eerts o'er his unconscious thoughts( an!

later a!!s the necessity for those who psychoanaly/e to be in a position in which they can

!etect an! -now how to !ominate sai! unconscious thoughts.

)n my early training in Psychotherapy my Professor Jose Angel 0ustamante insiste! on

the nee! to be conscious of this phenomenon for which he selecte! some patients, especially

women, to ma-e us eperience un!er controlle! en'ironment the 12rotic Countertransference.1.

) remember waiting e'ery We!nes!ay to see my 1Patient1. 3appily analy/e! with the professor

an! ta-en to the conscious plane ) coul! han!le her an! lea! the relationship to a professional

le'el, a relationship that ha! signs of 1something li-e lo'e1.

4ater as ) continue! my Psychotherapeutic Practice in Cuba it was 'ery easy to han!le

the !e'elopment of transference for analysis an! use my techniues against transference as a

metho! to un!erstan! aspects of the patient5s personality that trie! to pro'o-e me.

) ne'er thought about economic factors until ) got to the 6nite! States. )n Cuba patients

were part of my wor- for which, while ri!iculous for the present time, ) recei'e! a monthly salary

in!epen!ent of the number of patients ) was able to atten! to.

When ) starte! my wor- here as a 7ental 3ealth Counselor an! ) was pai! by the

number of patients ) was able to atten! to, ) began to feel a sense, almost a wish, for the

physical presence of them that ) resemble! the countertransference li-e my famous

1We!nes!ay1, ) longe! for the arri'al or presence while 'isiting them, my patients

turne!81Customers1 as shoul! be reflecte! in the notes.

Was this !ue to the "reu!ian unconscious countertransference9 ... :r was a new

phenomenon for me9.

7e!itating on the sub&ect ) was able to conclu!e that it was base! on the monetary

factor for the sustenance of my family. The absence of 1Customers1 becomes a problem of

sur'i'al. 7y wishes of their presence were not !ue to my unconscious. )t was an! is an

 
economic !epen!ence on them. They are my source of income. )t is among what ) ha'e

!eci!e! to call %2conomic Countertransference(.

This article is not moti'ate! to critici/e the system or implicate if a change can be ma!e.

)t is &ust that ... a personal me!itation on the 12conomic Countertransference1 .....

Translate! by$ Patricia Acosta