This paper describes and discusses those aspects of the treatment of schizoid patients which present particular challenges and difficulties to the clinician, namely nonrelatedness, emotional unavailability and absence of curiosity, all of which mean that the psychotherapist has a considerable strain to bear. Bion and others have suggested how the aetiology of this particular state of mind might be understood in terms of infantile experience. Clinical material from the long-term treatment of a schizoid man is discussed to illustrate how, in the course of a session, moments of meaningful emotional connection can become possible, and the transference/countertransference factors which might facilitate this. Implications for the length of treatment are discussed. The problem of overextending analytic therapies with this patient group is also discussed.