Dyadically Expanded States of Consciousness and Therapeutic Change in the Interaction Between Analyst and Adult Patient

Abstract

This paper presents a discussion of the mutual regulation model and the dyadic expansion of consciousness model as a way to better understand the interaction between the analysand and analyst and the process of therapeutic change. We argue that by examining matching, mismatching, and in particular reparation of therapeutic exchanges at the micro-level as well as the macro-level of the therapeutic exchange, including whole sessions or even over multiple sessions provides insight in the establishment of the therapeutic relationship and the formation of Dyadic States of Consciousness. Clinical examples are presented.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We gratefully acknowledge and thank Michele Minolli, Founder and Past President of SIPRe (Società Italiana di Psicoanalisi della Relazione), and Maria Pia Roggero, Head of the Research Department of SIPRe, for their guidance and support.

Notes

¹ “Reciprocity” is used to cover a range of somewhat unspecific terms, such as matching, attunement, synchrony, and mutual delight (Tronick, 2007). These terms are not equivalent, but the differences are not central given the purpose of this paper.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Alessandro Cavelzani

Alessandro Cavelzani, Ph.D., is Clinical Psychologist and Psychoanalyst, in private practice in Milan, Italy. He is a member of IARPP and SIPRE – Società Italiana di Psicoanalisi della Relazione, Milan, and adjunct director at Centro UmanaMente-Family Mental Health Center, Milan.

Ed Tronick

Ed Tronick, Ph.D., is University Distinguished Professor at the University of Massachusetts Boston and Harvard Medical School and is a clinician and developmental neuroscientist. He is cofounder of the UMass Boston Infant–Parent Mental Health Fellowship Program.