The aim of this paper is to make foreign colleagues familiar with the development and present the status of psychoanalysis in Italy. The author shows how, also in the case of Italy, true international exchange is the necessary condition for psychoanalysis to grow and reach a satisfying development. The contributions of such pioneers as R. Assagioli, E. Weiss, E. Gaddini, G. Benedetti and P.F. Galli show the direction we must take. Only by following in their steps will we be able to be creative in our field, i.e. bring about the new synthesis between psychoanalysis and psychotherapy which is implicit in the work of G. Benedetti.