A CONTRIBUTION TO THE ANALYSIS OF THE PSYCHOANALYTIC PROCESS

The place of analyst-patient interactions in the psychoanalytic change process is much debated. This paper reflects an attempt to identify q uite specific relational impacts that flow from the requirements of th e psychoanalytic situation itself and are (a) essential to the psychoa nalytic process, (b) inseparably tied to interpretation, and (c) of qu ite broad significance. Relationship factors that are idiosyncratic, i atrogenic, or that involve a nonspecific benign tone are all discussed by way of contrast to features seen as essential to the interpretive process. The published literature is heavily used to develop these poi nts.