THE CASE OF SOPHIE

The analysis of a girl from ages 3 to 5 years old offers a clinical il lustration of an alternative theory of change. In this theory the proc ess of change is organized around nodal points of exchange between pat ient and analyst, designated as ''now moments'' and ''moments of meeti ng.'' In the case presented, these moments were preceded by an intensi fication of affect and were accompanied by a sense of openness and amb iguity. As often as not they were nonverbal and sometimes did not even involve symbolic representation. The process resulted in a progressiv ely expanded repertoire of ways of being together and ways of doing th ings together. In a parallel and mutually influencing track, the child was telling me a story that gave meaning to her world, and increased the coherence of her sense of self.