Three Creative Phases in Psychoanalysis: The Encounter, the Dialogue and the process of articulation

I Do Not Intend to add anything new to the different methods of psychoanalytical work. I will talk about some creative aspects of psychoanalysis, not because these aspects are in themselves creative, but because they impress me as suitable material to be related to the problem of creativity. These aspects are found in any analytical work. They are the working parts of any analytical effort from the side of the analyst as well as from the side of the patient. There is no sure method by which psychoanalysis brings about creativity. By creativity I do not mean merely creating of art works or works of genius, but also the true human nature which is given to growth.

It would take another paper to make clear what I understand as growth. In this case growth is, of course, not growing in size; it is not related to success nor to any other outside quality or value. It is something quite different indeed, namely, the ability to live, to survive and to face the world against the evidence of failure, death and other misfortune; it is the quality to possess and keep the vision of justice against all evidence to the contrary. Growth is a quality against, which means that an individual possessing this quality is able to see the deeper realities of life, though they are covered up and distorted. Growth is therefore something to learn, to find, to understand, something to act on. Growth is also the understanding of the even deeper structure of the world, by which I mean the understanding that life and the human being in life are faced with irrational powers trying to distract and divert us from our path and trying to destroy our direction—what we call the meaning of our life.

I have selected three stages or phases of analysis—the encounter, the dialogue and the process of articulation—because they are important and related to the creative work of the analyst and the creative possibilities in the patient. There is no logical sequence applicable to these three phases.

To start with the f