Abstract
Boredom is an unpleasant state. It is understandable as a refuge from highly conflicted, threateningly intense feelings. Denial of such important inner experiences is a primitive mechanism. Interestingly, the issues reflected in the use of boredom may also reflect the great issues in the life of a toddler as he or she gradually organizes a workable, cohesive ego. Emotional closeness or distance, goodness or badness, and both of these dichotomies in relation to sexuality remain critical concerns in many people. Boredom provides a clue to the psychotherapist that someone is trying to deal with these concerns as leftovers of his or her early years. This note focuses on what might be the dynamics of boredom in a patient. Therefore, I will only glancingly suggest that the same dynamics apply to ourselves as psychotherapists when we feel bored in the presence of a particular patient.