Frame, setting, process, and movement

ABSTRACT

The author addresses the theme of frame and setting in psychoanalysis, suggesting that they are “functions” of the psychoanalytic process. Frame is defined as the external components of the context that enable the development of a process, and setting as the primarily psychoanalytic elements within the analyst’s mind, necessary for establishing an analysing situation where a process should take place. The author emphasizes that the characteristics of both also define the outline of the process, while discussing attributes that would aid in its development. The author proposes the creation of an imaginary model regarding possible invariants in psychoanalytic theories and theories of technique with the intention of deepening the understanding of the relationship between frame, setting and process. The author concludes with a reflection on the effect of implicit theories on the construction of frame and setting.

KEYWORDS:

• Frame
• setting
• psychoanalytic process

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 Published online at https://online.flippingbook.com/view/544664/626/. Consulted on 15 November 15 2023.

2 Function, in mathematics, is an expression, rule or law that defines a relationship between one variable (the independent variable) and another variable (the dependent variable). The modern definition of function was first given in 1837 by the German mathematician Peter Dirichlet: “If a variable y is so related to a variable x that whenever a numerical value is assigned to x, there is a rule according to which a unique value of y is determined, then y is said to be a function of the independent variable x” (Britannica.com, consulted online on 15 November 2023).

3 That which is in the mind but has not yet been psychically transformed, such as our memory, language, cognitive thinking, basic emotions, primitive defence mechanisms, etc. (Calich 2019).

4 “Marion Milner believes that at this level the analyst’s goal is often to serve as a ‘medium’ for the patient. We could think of the analyst as being composed by the patient much in the way a writer composes a novel, or a painter a painting, or a musician a score” (Bollas 1999, 51).