A re-consideration of interpretation. A relational approach

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Psychoanalysis

Background:

• Traditional Freudian psychoanalytic interpretation is often viewed as analyst-centric.
• A relational approach emphasizes the intersubjective nature of the therapeutic encounter.

Purpose of the Study:

• To re-examine the concept of interpretation in psychoanalysis.
• To advocate for a relational, co-creational model of interpretation over a Freudian one.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual analysis of psychoanalytic theory.
• Discussion of clinical implications.
• Illustration with a clinical verbatim transcript.

Main Results:

• Freudian interpretation, being non-relational, is deemed less effective.
• Relational interpretation, as a co-creational process, is proposed as an agent of change.

Conclusions:

• Interpretation should be understood as a collaborative meaning-making process.
• Clinical practice should prioritize the patient's meaning within the intersubjective relational context.