--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Every therapist will, over the course of…" description: "\"“Every therapist will, over the course of his career, encounter a patient whose problem sufficiently mirrors a difficulty for the therapist which is st..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ae/ved-p-varma-47047_patience_every-therapist-will-over-the-course-of_1289141.jpg" --- # Every therapist will, over the course of his career… ![“Every therapist will, over the course of his career, encounter a patient whose problem sufficiently mirrors a difficulty for the therapist which is still unresolved. In this situation, unless the therapist is aware of the existence of their own pathology and can take it into account, they may…” quote by Ved P. Varma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ae/ved-p-varma-47047_patience_every-therapist-will-over-the-course-of_1289141.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ae/ved-p-varma-47047_patience_every-therapist-will-over-the-course-of_1289141.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ae/ved-p-varma-47047_patience_every-therapist-will-over-the-course-of_1289141.jpg) > ““Every therapist will, over the course of his career, encounter a patient whose problem sufficiently mirrors a difficulty for the therapist which is still unresolved. In this situation, unless the therapist is aware of the existence of their own pathology and can take it into account, they may respond to the patient in a defensive, resistant or blaming manner. Technically, this would be called ‘counter-transference resistance’.”” [Ved P. Varma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ved-p-varma/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Therapists may project their own unresolved issues onto patients, leading to defensive or blaming reactions if they lack self‑awareness. **In simple terms:** Therapists can unintentionally react based on their own problems. Key Takeaway Recognize and manage personal biases in therapy. Themes self‑awareness counter‑transference professional ethics Mood reflective cautious Type clinical educational When to use this quote - therapy sessions - supervision meetings - personal therapy - case consultations Key Concepts psychodynamic theory reflective practice emotional regulation Questions to Reflect On - How can therapists reliably detect their own blind spots? - What safeguards help prevent counter‑transference? A Different Perspective If the therapist’s own issue is severe, insight may be limited without external feedback. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Patience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patience/) [Transference](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transference/) ## Related quotes > [“I thought part of the idea of having therapy was putting one in touch with his or her feelings. And don’t give me all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olga-n-ez-miret/i-thought-part-of-the-idea-of-having-therapy-was-putting-one-in-touch/) [Olga Núñez Miret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olga-n-ez-miret/) > [“It was rare but not unheard of for an analysand tossed by tides of transference and desublimation to seek the safety of Dr. Kavalier's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/it-was-rare-but-not-unheard-of-for-an-analysand-tossed-by-tides-of/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“In psychoanalytical theory there is a phenomenon called transference. The therapist becomes a blank screen, onto which the patient projects some incident or feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/in-psychoanalytical-theory-there-is-a-phenomenon-called-transference/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Countertransference is described as the therapist's reaction to the patient's transference. Like transference, countertransference is a reflection of earlier events and unresolved conflicts in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-friedman/countertransference-is-described-as-the-therapist-s-reaction-to-the/) [Joel Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-friedman/) > [“Some patients who are profoundly multiply disabled are incontinent, smear faeces, cut themselves, dribble, smell, spit, bite, eat mucous, pull their hair, poke their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ved-p-varma/some-patients-who-are-profoundly-multiply-disabled-are-incontinent/) [Ved P. Varma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ved-p-varma/) > [The contempt which men feel for the prostitute, and the fact that they have always regarded themselves as far superior to her, even when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-roberta-noble-neilans/the-contempt-which-men-feel-for-the-prostitute-and-the-fact-that-they/) Alison Roberta Noble Neilans > [In Zen, and in other forms of self discovery, we do have a transference that occurs where psychically, information, blocks of attention, are transferred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/in-zen-and-in-other-forms-of-self-discovery-we-do-have-a-transference/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Find a teacher of Tantric Zen and study with them because it is transference of awareness, a sharing of the perception of the beauty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/find-a-teacher-of-tantric-zen-and-study-with-them-because-it-is/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“Transference is a process by which someone unconsciously transfers feelings about a person in their past on to a person or situation in their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-land/transference-is-a-process-by-which-someone-unconsciously-transfers/) [Ali Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-land/) > [I do not think that any sorrow of youth or manhood equalled in intensity or duration the black and hopeless misery which followed the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-george/i-do-not-think-that-any-sorrow-of-youth-or-manhood-equalled-in/) [Henry George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-george/) > [And in any case, to the old man, when the world becomes trite, the triteness arises not so much from a cessation as from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-smith/and-in-any-case-to-the-old-man-when-the-world-becomes-trite-the/) [Alexander Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-smith/) > [A transference neurosis corresponds to a conflict between ego and id, a narcissistic neurosis corresponds to that between between ego and super-ego, and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/a-transference-neurosis-corresponds-to-a-conflict-between-ego-and-id/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [In the esoteric teachings, a transference process takes place between teacher and student where knowledge is actually transmitted from one to the other. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/in-the-esoteric-teachings-a-transference-process-takes-place-between/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Perhaps within the next hundred years, science will perfect a process of thought transference from composer to listener. The composer will sit alone on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-scott/perhaps-within-the-next-hundred-years-science-will-perfect-a-process/) Raymond Scott > [A lot of my work involves instilling objects with the power of touch - a transference of soul, spirit, energy through actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-colen/a-lot-of-my-work-involves-instilling-objects-with-the-power-of-touch/) [Dan Colen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-colen/) ## More by Ved P. Varma > [“Winnicott talks about how ‘mothers do in one way or another identify themselves with the baby growing within them, and in this way they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ved-p-varma/winnicott-talks-about-how-mothers-do-in-one-way-or-another-identify/) [Ved P. Varma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ved-p-varma/) > [“Some patients who are profoundly multiply disabled are incontinent, smear faeces, cut themselves, dribble, smell, spit, bite, eat mucous, pull their hair, poke their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ved-p-varma/some-patients-who-are-profoundly-multiply-disabled-are-incontinent/) [Ved P. Varma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ved-p-varma/) > [“Although there are areas of overlap between working with psychotic and borderline children and with severely deprived children, some of the stresses involved are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ved-p-varma/although-there-are-areas-of-overlap-between-working-with-psychotic/) [Ved P. Varma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ved-p-varma/) > [“Hearing directly from a person who has been hurt in a profound way gives the listener a secondary trauma. When a Swedish colleague, Anders…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ved-p-varma/hearing-directly-from-a-person-who-has-been-hurt-in-a-profound-way/) [Ved P. Varma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ved-p-varma/) > [“He came to believe that, in addition to getting rid of parts of the self, projective identification was sometimes the only way in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ved-p-varma/he-came-to-believe-that-in-addition-to-getting-rid-of-parts-of-the/) [Ved P. Varma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ved-p-varma/) > [“If, for example, it is the weak, defenceless, vulnerable part of the self which cannot be tolerated, than this will tend to be split…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ved-p-varma/if-for-example-it-is-the-weak-defenceless-vulnerable-part-of-the-self/) [Ved P. Varma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ved-p-varma/) > [“They behave towards their therapists as they perceive themselves to have been treated by their absent parents. They make their therapists feel very fully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ved-p-varma/they-behave-towards-their-therapists-as-they-perceive-themselves-to/) [Ved P. Varma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ved-p-varma/) [Explore all 8 Ved P. Varma quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ved-p-varma/) ## More Patience quotes > [Many patients imagine that they have tried everything. True, they have used many remedies, but they have never had the cause of their infirmity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-d-palmer/many-patients-imagine-that-they-have-tried-everything-true-they-have/) [Daniel D. Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-d-palmer/) > [Dating someone on the opposite end of the happy spectrum teaches you an incredible amount of patience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pine/dating-someone-on-the-opposite-end-of-the-happy-spectrum-teaches-you/) [Chris Pine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pine/) > [I am fairly tired--bored beyond endurance--by the world we live in, and its ideals, and am ready to say so, not violently, but kindly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/i-am-fairly-tired-bored-beyond-endurance-by-the-world-we-live-in-and/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [The faster you go, the shorter you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-faster-you-go-the-shorter-you-are/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [We're on the road 300 days a year. There's no recovery time. It's a test of your physical and mental endurance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-phoenix/we-re-on-the-road-300-days-a-year-there-s-no-recovery-time-it-s-a/) [Beth Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-phoenix/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [“Here is my procedure for a saliva test: Prepare 7 strips of pH paper. Take a baseline pH reading. Have the patient drink 10cc…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ameer-rosic/here-is-my-procedure-for-a-saliva-test-prepare-7-strips-of-ph-paper/) Ameer Rosic > [“There is no time for patience - there is no time for diplomacy - there is no time for policies, legislations and meaningless paperwork.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/there-is-no-time-for-patience-there-is-no-time-for-diplomacy-there-is/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [Grace is the wonderful spirit that imbues every fiber of our being when we practice the fruits of the spirit: kindness, patience, understanding, forgiveness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-cayce/grace-is-the-wonderful-spirit-that-imbues-every-fiber-of-our-being/) [Edgar Cayce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-cayce/) > [“Prayer of an Anonymous Abbess: Lord, thou knowest better than myself that I am growing older and will soon be old. Keep me from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/prayer-of-an-anonymous-abbess-lord-thou-knowest-better-than-myself/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Every patient carries her or his own doctor inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/every-patient-carries-her-or-his-own-doctor-inside/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [Character never quits; and with patience and persistence; Dreams do come true!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-maravich/character-never-quits-and-with-patience-and-persistence-dreams-do/) [Pete Maravich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-maravich/) > [I don't know about writing. It's quite lonely. You have to have a lot of patience with yourself. I don't know if I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-wilson/i-don-t-know-about-writing-it-s-quite-lonely-you-have-to-have-a-lot/) [Ruth Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-wilson/) > [There are few husbands whom the wife cannot win in the long run, by patience and love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-of-valois/there-are-few-husbands-whom-the-wife-cannot-win-in-the-long-run-by/) [Margaret of Valois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-of-valois/) > [God has perfect timing...Never early...never late...It takes a little patience...It takes a lot of faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-has-perfect-timing-never-early-never-late-it-takes-a-little/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 7,997 Patience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Every therapist will, over the course of his career, encounter a patient whose problem sufficiently mirrors a difficulty for the therapist which is still unresolved. In this situation, unless the therapist is aware of the existence of their own pathology and can take it into account, they may respond to the patient in a defensive, resistant or blaming manner. Technically, this would be called ‘counter-transference resistance’.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ved P. Varma" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ved-p-varma/every-therapist-will-over-the-course-of-his-career-encounter-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Patience" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ved-p-varma/every-therapist-will-over-the-course-of-his-career-encounter-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ae/ved-p-varma-47047_patience_every-therapist-will-over-the-course-of_1289141.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ae/ved-p-varma-47047_patience_every-therapist-will-over-the-course-of_1289141.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ae/ved-p-varma-47047_patience_every-therapist-will-over-the-course-of_1289141.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Every therapist will, over the course of his career, encounter a patient whose problem sufficiently mirrors…” — Ved P. Varma", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ved P. Varma", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ved-p-varma/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Every therapist will, over the course...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ved-p-varma/every-therapist-will-over-the-course-of-his-career-encounter-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ved-p-varma/every-therapist-will-over-the-course-of-his-career-encounter-a/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```