The psychoanalyst in the mirror: doubts galore but few certainties

The clinical case of a female patient who seemed to be demanding from the analyst changes in her usual technique but in reality wanted her to modify her emotional attitude induced the author to confront the subject of anxiety about change felt to be 'catastrophic', considering it on this occasion from the point of view of the analyst. It is inevitable that the analyst too will initially resort to his or her old defences, succeeding only later by a great deal of hard work in transforming them and putting them in the service of the analysis itself. The main subject of the paper is accompanied by a brief historical digression on the profound changes that have taken place in the years since Freud's death in the way the psychoanalytical movement as a whole thinks of and practises psychoanalysis, culminating in the 'pluralism' mentioned by Wallerstein, and by a personal example of the path travelled day after day by every analyst in his or her consulting room; the overall result is to hearten and encourage us about the future development of our work.