The psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner discusses with a colleague her feelings about a new client. "I am having unsettling feelings of anger toward this client, whom I just met. I think she reminds me of my mother." This is an example of which defense mechanism?

Choice A reason: Projection involves attributing one’s own unacceptable thoughts or emotions to another person. In this case, the nurse is not attributing her feelings to the client but recognizing them as her own. Choice B reason: Transference refers to the client projecting feelings onto the therapist, often based on past relationships. This scenario describes the therapist’s reaction, not the client’s. Choice C reason: Countertransference occurs when the therapist projects unresolved feelings onto the client, often based on personal history. The nurse’s recognition that the client reminds her of her mother and evokes anger is a textbook example of countertransference. Choice D reason: Reaction formation involves expressing the opposite of one’s true feelings. The nurse is not masking her anger but acknowledging it, making this choice incorrect.