Editorial

Psychoanalysis as a method, and in its first formulations of theory, is about a century old. At this point in the history of psychoanalysis, a youngster, only 30 years old—The International Federation of Psychoanalytic Societies—has decided to launch a new psychoanalytic journal. You are now reading the first issue. This decision is an expression of many intentions, wishes and hopes. Most basically it manifests a faith in the possibilities for psychoanalysis to develop as a forum for ongoing formulations of the unfolding of the human psyche as experienced in the clinical situation.

The psychoanalytic method, the organized meeting of analyst and analysand several times a week over a long period of time and for a peculiar kind of dialogue—the interface of free association and evenly hovering attention—has remained unchanged since the inception of psychoanalysis. This kernel of the psychoanalytic method is unique in modern society in many ways.

One aspect is that of psychoanalysis as a tradition of oral language. Most psychoanalytic sessions are marked by a predominance of spoken language. Also the training of psychoanalysts relies heavily on oral verbal traditions through the candidates' own analyses, their psychoanalytic work and supervision. The words of psychoanalysis refer to processes going on in deep strata of the human being, taking form psychologically and physiologically. The movements in psychological structures may vary from more comprehensive ones accompanied by laughter, crying, expressions of anger etc., to minor and slow adjustments which are almost undiscernible. Vague and strange metaphores may arise in the mind of the psychoanalyst or the analysand as indications of these more subtle psychological processes. Simultaneously a multitude of organic reverberations are going on in the psychoanalytic session, like slight moderations in the tone of the voice, sweating, dilation or contraction of blood vessels in different parts of the body, visceral movements