Staff countertransference to borderline patients on an inpatient unit

Borderline patients evoke unique countertransference responses among members of the treatment team: pejorative behavior, undue optimism, and pessimistic nihilism to these patients, along with difficulties in limit-setting, and fragmentation of the treatment team are common. Frequent meetings and open communication within the treatment team are recommended in order to minimize the splitting that is central to these countertransference constellations.