Neutrality and Curiosity: Elements of Technique

Abstract

In the past three decades, neutrality has come under increasing criticism. The idea that a psychoanalyst can leave himself out of the therapeutic exchange has come to be seen as either an impossible dream or a myth. We propose that examining neutrality through the lens of curiosity allows for a new appreciation of the ongoing and vital importance of this psychoanalytic attitude. Our hypothesis is that curiosity and neutrality are linked, and that to maintain a neutral stance, the analyst must be able to direct a relatively conflict-free curiosity toward the workings of the analysand’s mind as well as his own.