Therapist-initiated patient transfer in the residency training setting

Therapist-initiated transfers of dynamic psychotherapy patients, precipitated by the need for residents to have a broad exposure to varied services, are common phenomena in residency training settings. Both the transferring therapist and the patient may experience these transfers as distressing. The inexperienced therapist may initiate inappropriate transfers, incomplete terminations, or social behavior toward the patient. A case example is presented and discussed in light of the relevant literature. Recommendations for prophylactic measures include education, strong supervisory support to explore countertransference issues, and the use of a case conference at points of transfer.