““According to Freud, these feelings (which he called "transference love") are generated by the therapeutic process itself; they are not the same as love experienced outside the therapy and they have little to do with the particular attributes of the therapist per se. Instead it is a process in which the therapist purposefully induces trust and intimacy in order to (1) analyze the patient's response and (2) use the relationship to influence the patient's response to treatment. Transference, used properly, is a constructive tool in psychotherapy, allowing the therapist to understand where and how particular conflicts developed and how they continue to affect the patient in her adult life. When the transference is understood by the patient as well, it can contribute significantly to the healing process.””
