Hate in the Counter-Transference
Winnicott, D.W. (1949). Hate in the Counter-Transference. Int. J. Psycho-Anal.,
30:69-74
In this paper I wish to examine one aspect of the whole subject of ambivalency,
namely. hate in the counter-transference. I believe that the task of the analyst (call him
a research analyst) who undertakes the analysis of a psychotic is seriously weighted
by this phenomenon, and that analysis of psychotics becomes impossible unless the
analyst's own hate is extremely well sorted-out and conscious. This is tantamount to
saying that an analyst needs to be himself analysed, but it also asserts that the analysis
of a psychotic is irksome as compared with that of a neurotic, and inherently so.
Apart from psycho-analytic treatment, the management of a psychotic is bound to be
irksome. From time to time23 [have made acutely critical remarks about the modem
trends in psychiatry, with the too easy electric shocks and the too drastic leucotomies,
Because of these criticisms that I have expressed I would like to be foremost in
recognition of the extreme difficulty inherent in the task of the psychiatrist, and of the
mental nurse in particular. Insane patients must always be a heavy emotional burden
‘on those who care for them. One can forgive those who do this work if they do awful
things. This does not mean, however, that we have to accept whatever is done by
psychiatrists and neuro-surgeons as sound according to principles of science.
Therefore although what follows is about psycho-analysis, it really has value to the
psychiatrist, even to one whose work does not in any way take him into the analytic
type of relationship to patients.
To help the general psychiatrist the psycho-analyst must not only study for him the
primitive stages of the emotional development of the ill individual, but also must
study the nature of the emotional burden which the psychiatrist bears in doing his
work. What we as analysts call the counter-transference needs to be understood by the
psychiatrist too, However much he loves his patients he cannot avoid hating them,
and fearing them, and the better he knows this the less will hate and fear be the motive
determining what he does to his patients.
STATEMENT OF THEME
One could classify counter-transference phenomena thus:
1, Abnormality in counter-transference feelings, and set relationships and
identifications that are under repression in the analyst. The comment on this is that the
analyst needs more analysis, and we believe this is less of an issue among psycho-
analysts than among psychotherapists in general.
2. The identifications and tendencies belonging to an analyst's personal experiences
and personal development which provide the positive setting for his analytic work and
make his work different in quality from that of any other analyst.
3. From these two I distinguish the truly aq arey 0) a1qe 39 01 paat SasKyouR aup St SHIP Jo asvo jeroods w pur ‘s#uL wuoHed ay
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