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INTEREST IN INTEGRATING PSYCHOANALYTIC with action techniques1 has received increasing attention in recent years (Arkowitz & Messer, 1984) ; (Wachtel, 1977), (1987). My personal interest in psychotherapy integration stems from extensive experience over the years with psychosomatic patients, who often have a limited capacity to benefit from psychoanalytic treatment (Frank, Heller & Kornfeld, 1979) ; (Nunez, Frank & Kornfeld, 1987) ; (VandenBos & De Leon, 1988).
This paper will first address some of the resistances among psychoanalysts to integrating action techniques with psychoanalysis. Discussing a number of recent theoretical developments, I hope to show that many of these resistances are no longer valid, but are vestiges of the past. I will illustrate how behavioral interventions can have substantial impact upon intrapsychic processes. Describing how a new, more integrative relational approach lends itself well to the use of action techniques, I will outline an integrative approach which I have found useful, and will illustrate this approach with clinical material.
The obstacles to formal psychotherapy integration2 are considerable,