Further observations on the psychoanalytic process

The psychoanalytic process remains a fascinating and valuable concept, albeit an incompletely understood and controversial one. The author reviews the ideas in his 1984 essay and looks back on some of the critiques and proposals that followed that paper. He suggests that the concept of the psychoanalytic process is viable and useful despite its shortcomings. Consideration is given to the goals of psychoanalytic treatment as they relate to the "process" and how the "process" may be helpful in determining whether or not a patient is "in" analysis.