The Psychoanalytic Quarterly 22, 1953, No. 1: Richard F. Sterba. 'Clinical and Therapeutic Aspects of Character Resistance.'

Reich's book Character Analysis did not appear in an English translation until 1945, and judging by the continued interest in Reich's ideas, especially among students, their re-examination is of more than historical interest.

Reich's first aim was to make analytic therapy a systematic procedure. The key to this was a systematic and even a layered approach to resistances, which must always be tackled before the unconscious content was communicated to the patient. This was particularly emphasized concerning all transference situations. Since analytic therapy disturbs the neurotic equilibrium, Reich regards all transference situations, indeed all relationship to the analyst, as the expression of resistance, particularly at the beginning of treatment. Thus the patient must react to the intrusion of the analyst either with open rebellion, or, if this is felt to be too dangerous, with 'secret' resistances which are even more 'dangerous' than open negative reactions. Reich therefore refuses to accept at its face value any positive transference manifestation at the beginning of treatment.

The initial transference resistance expresses itself in a specific form which is characteristic of the patient's personality. This from is used over and over again by any further resistances which the patient develops during his analysis. Since it is characteristic Reich calls it the 'character resistance'. Its consistent analysis he considers to be his therapeutic innovation, and this he calls 'character analysis'. He is particularly concerned with the secret resistances and believes that if neglected they destroy all therapeutic efforts. If material is interpreted from a deeper layer than the one to which the secret resistance belongs, the analyst creates a 'chaotic situation'. He claimed that his technique was the only correct one because it strove to undermine the neurosis in all directions from a firm stronghold.

Reich spoke as though the analysis of resistances was his specia