Working through in the countertransference

This paper is intended as a development of Strachey's classic paper 'The nature of the therapeutic action of psycho-analysis'. Strachey states that the full or deep transference experience is disturbing to the analyst; that which the analyst most fears and most wishes to avoid. He also stresses that conveying an interpretation in a calm way is necessary. The area addressed is the task of coping with these strong countertransference experiences and maintaining the analytic technique of interpretation. The clinical illustrations attempt to show something of the process of transformation or working through in the analyst, as well as showing that the patient is consciously or unconsciously mindful as to whether the analyst evades or meets the issues. The contention that the analyst is not affected by these experiences is both false and would convey to the patient that his plight, pain and behaviour are emotionally ignored by the analyst. It is suggested that if we keep emotions out, we are in danger of keeping out the love which mitigates the hatred, allowing the so-called pursuit of truth to be governed by hatred. What appears as dispassionate may contain the murder of love and concern. How the analyst allows himself to have the experiences, work through and transform them into a useful interpretation is the issue studied in this paper.