Analytic practice: Convergences and divergences

Abstract

The author discusses current convergences and divergences concerning analytic practice. After presenting a clinical vignette that can be understood differently according to different theoretical approaches, he discusses Wallerstein’s proposal of a common ground in psychoanalysis and suggests that the present state of the art indicates that psychoanalysis is a pluralistic discipline, with different ways of training and practising it, and that the main challenge is to improve our ability to listen to and to learn from different approaches.

Key words:

• analytic practice
• analytic technique
• common ground

1. This paper was the Presidential Address at the 46th Congress of the International Psychoanalytical Association, Chicago, USA, 29 July – 1 August 2009.

1. This paper was the Presidential Address at the 46th Congress of the International Psychoanalytical Association, Chicago, USA, 29 July – 1 August 2009.

Notes

1. This paper was the Presidential Address at the 46th Congress of the International Psychoanalytical Association, Chicago, USA, 29 July – 1 August 2009.