EMPATHY - A MODE OF ANALYTIC LISTENING

The author investigates the importance of the concept of empathy as a mode of gathering data in clinical psychoanalysis. Using several case discussions she illustrates the necessity to understand a patient's re action first of all as an expression of the specifity of the patient's Inner experience, which includes his subjective perception of the ana lyst's contribution within the analytic situation. Referring to recent models used in infant research, Schwaber argues for an analytic liste ning stance which sharpens the focus on the inner experience of the pa tient, and avoids imposing on the patient an outside perspective.