Ferenczi's Contribution to the Concept of Countertransference

On the basis of a historical survey of Ferenczi's contributions to the concept of countertransference, the author highlights the most important theoretical shifts present in each of his contributions, from Freud's initial formulation in 1910 to the ?Clinical Diary?. Besides pointing to some key concepts and characteristics in Ferenczi's thinking, such as ?the control of the countertransference?, ?The transference-countertransference interaction?, ?the analyst's narcissism?, and in particular the view of countertransference as a useful therapeutic tool in itself rather than as an obstacle for the cure. The author discusses Ferenczi's significant influence on some later analysts, especially on Heimann, Winnicott, Racker and Searles who stood out precisely for, among other reasons, their contributions to the question of countertransference.