Problems of psychoanalytic technique: patient-centred and analyst-centred interpretations

Patients who withdraw excessively to psychic retreats present major problems of technique. The frustration of having a stuck patient, who is at the same time out of reach, challenges the analyst, who has to avoid being driven either to give up in despair or to over-react and try to overcome opposition and resistance in too forceful a way. The situation is one where the patient and analyst can easily be at cross purposes. The patient is interested in regaining or retaining his equilibrium, which is achieved by a withdrawal to a psychic retreat, while the analyst is concerned to help the patient emerge, to help him gain insight into the way his mind works, and to allow development to proceed.