"Things were different then": countertransference issues for younger female therapists working with older female...

Older, pre-feminist women have different expectations about marital fulfillment and their role in society than younger women who have grown up with feminist ideals. These differences can emerge within the clinical encounter between a younger female therapist working with an older female client, especially as the latter reviews her life and marital history. This paper discusses the countertransference reactions cross-generational disparities engender in the younger female clinician. The author posits that these need to be examined and addressed in order to build a therapeutic alliance and temper empathic failure on the part of the therapist. The literature on countertransference reactions with the elderly and the role of the life review process is reviewed. The impact of the women's movement and implications for clinical practice are discussed.