Recovery of the lost good object

A significant occurrence in the treatment of some patients involves the recovery of the lost good object, that is, recovering a preverbal experience of the "good mother." Such an experience can be a turning point in treatment, because it often solidifies the therapeutic alliance and thus facilitates a positive outcome. Although psychotherapy or psychoanalysis cannot make up for early trauma or parental failure, it facilitates the acquisition of positive memories that enable the patient to reinvest in the world and in new objects in the environment. This thesis is illustrated by material from the author's own analysis, as well as from three case examples.