CONCEPTUALIZING THE PSYCHOANALYTIC process in present-day terms calls for a sophisticated line of demarcation between theoretical guidelines, on one hand, and a particular therapeutic, clinical setting, on the other. Theory by its basic nature is generic. Clinical work calls for a "custom made" approach, specifically geared to a given individual.

As clinicians we require a thorough familiarity with major psychoanalytic tenets. Yet a direct therapeutic application of any theoretical constructs constitutes a depersonalizing of the analytic process. Theoretical models cannot include the occurrence of spontaneity, tact, individuality or the impact of the analyst's personality; neither can the element of intuition or plain human wisdom be included in theories of therapy.

Concise statements about how practicing analysts do their clinical work within the privacy of their offices are scarce and not always indicative of what actually takes place. Case presentations in the literature, in lectures, and even on tapes tend to screen out