The Psychoanalyst's Resistance to the Task of Proof

Freud's letters and papers indicate that his emotions interfered with his endeavor to justify his theories to an unsympathetic public. His example suggests that a psychoanalyst who wishes to prove the validity of psychoanalysis to critics may experience strong and unpalatable emotions that in turn stimulate defense mechanisms, such as avoidance of proving activities. While Freud habitually observed the public's resistance to psychoanalytic ideas, he overlooked the possibility of his own resistance to presenting them. Those who are interested in pursuing scientific validation of psychoanalytic theories and efficacy may wish to consider whether psychoanalysts' emotional resistances have contributed to the psychoanalytic community's halting approach to validation and the presentation of proof.