Acting out the countertransference is inevitable and initially occurs beyond the control of the analyst. It can result in a deviation of behavior, which in periods of strong countertransference resistance becomes accessible to self-observation. Such behavioral deviations can therefore serve as an indication of the existence of a strongly resisted countertransference. Combined with the corresponding behavior of the patient, these occurrences can be used therapeutically for work on repetition compulsion and for the development of the patient's self-analytic skills for use after analysis.