Transference is defined as:

• A. A conscious coping strategy used by clients
• B. A therapist's reaction to the client's transference
• C. A phenomenon where a client redirects emotions and feelings from one person to the therapist
• D. A formal diagnosis

Answer: (C)

Transference is when a client unconsciously redirects feelings, expectations, and attitudes from significant people in their life onto the therapist. This often mirrors past relationships—such as treating the therapist like a parental figure or an authority figure—and can be either positive or negative. It's usually outside conscious control, and therapists can use it to reveal underlying relationship patterns and unresolved conflicts. It differs from countertransference, which is the therapist’s own emotional reaction to the client. It’s not a conscious coping strategy, nor is it a formal diagnosis. The described option captures this phenomenon accurately.