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THE SUBJECT OF SELFANALYSIS(the classical psychoanalytic term; see Ticho, 1967) ; (Calder, 1980) ; (Gay, 1988) ; (Chessick, 1990), which I will strictly distinguish from that of self-processing(the term I propose for the communicative version of this effort; see Langs, 1991, in press, b), has a long but sparse history. It is the main purpose of this paper to extend this literature first, by defining the method of self-processing developed through the communicative approach to psychoanalysis and psychotherapy; and second, by presenting a new professional endeavor—teaching self-processing, a new way of developing self-analytic skills and opening up fresh avenues to personal insight.
My focus will be on the classroom experience; this topic is, as far as I can discern, new to the literature. I will therefore concentrate on the definitive properties of such an encounter, and sharply distinguish the encounter itself from one of its goals—enabling the student to successfully engage in his or her own self-processing. Other aspects of this educational experience will be clarified as I proceed.
Self-analysis began with Freud (1897) ; (Gay, 1988) ; self-processing with the communicative approach and my own personal efforts at self-exploration (Langs & Badalamenti, in press). Freud introduced the concept of self-analysis in his letters to Fliess, stressing the high level of resistance and frustration inherent to this kind of endeavor. Nonetheless, he, and others after him (see Gay, 1988) ; (Chessick, 1990), saw the outcome of his monumental struggle as highly successful—e.g., as the means by which Freud made many of his early discoveries, including that of the Oedipus complex.