The fear of staging: Considerations on the fears of a young psychoanalyst. (2nd July 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Grasso, Alessandro
• Is Part Of: International forum of psychoanalysis. Volume 29:issue 3(2020)
• Page Start: 192
• Page End: 199
• Publication Date: 2020-07-02
• Subjects: Fear -- psychoanalytic relationship -- psychoanalytic field -- role responsiveness -- psychoanalytic theatre -- Pirandello; Psychoanalysis -- Periodicals; 150.195
• DOI: 10.1080/0803706X.2020.1782985
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0803-706X

Abstract

Abstract: The article deals with some of the most common fears that can manifest in young training analysands during clinical practice. Viewed using a theatrical metaphor, the psychoanalytic situation that develops is conceived as a representation of the conflicts and deep suffering that the patient wishes the therapist to understand and alleviate. The two can be seen as actors who bring to the stage a scene involving both deeply, and which requires the right balance between illusion and reality to be therapeutically effective. The analytic theatre evokes characters that desire to be brought to the stage, and gives life to a drama that demands to be represented through the characters themselves, as happens in the play Six characters in search of an author by Pirandello (1925 ). Therefore, analysts need to take on a role that they are implicitly required to perform and that can at times be perceived as rather uncomfortable, while in other instances it can be rewarding. Sometimes they are the main character, while in other situations they are the audience; they may be a travel companion or a persecutor.