THE MEANING OF THE SYMBOLIC FUNCTION IN PSYCHOANALYTIC PSYCHOTHERAPY - CLINICAL THEORY AND PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC APPLICATIONS

This study presents the clinical theory and psychotherapeutic applicat ions of symbolic function in psychoanalytic psychotherapy. The three m odes of symbolic function (indexical, iconic and conventional symbolic ) form the representations of the self and the object and further the unconscious fantasy, which includes the affective bond between these r epresentations. During his/her development the child absorbs from the mother a new ego capacity (by means of identification), which I call t he reflective-integration capacity. Then, the ego of the child has two crucial functions: the fantasy world adopted through the symbolic fun ction and the reflective-integrative capacity. In psychoanalytic psych otherapy our aim is to study the fantasy world of the patient by means of the reflective-integrative capacity or if this capacity is missing or weak, ro promote its development. During psychoanalytic psychother apy a shared area of reflection-integration is formed, in which the he aling changes occur. These healing changes include mainly the formatio n, consolidation and enrichment of the symbolic function of the patien t. The consolidation of symbolic function and the capacity to move wit hin the different modes of symbolic function occur in the area of psyc hology in which there are incapabilities and/or conflicts (e.g. separa tion anxiety) in the patient. Clinical case material is presented to i llustrate these phenomena.