Psyche, 22, Nos. 9–11, 1968: EUGEN MAHLER (6 Frankfurt/Main, Myliusstr. 20, Germany). Zur Frage der Behandlungstechnik bei psychoanalytischer Kurztherapie (Technique of psychoanalytic short-term therapy)

Items and problems of psychoanalytic short-term therapy in the sense of M. Balint's focal therapy are discussed, and an illustrating case report given. Initial interview, test results, discussion of the case in a staff conference of the out-patient department and afterwards in the special workshop for focal therapy, yield a first conception and after several reformulations a working hypothesis—the so-called focus in the form of an interpretation. In the course of each focal therapy, difficulties tend to arise in maintaining the focus within the transference. The same was true in the case of the patient presented here. After 10 sessions a critical point was reached which, however, resulted in a distinct improvement of the patient's state, both symptomatically and structurally. The limitation of the therapy to a fixed number of sessions has proved an essential factor in this form of treatment. But all members of the workshop agreed that none of them would be able to do this kind of focal therapy without the help of the group. Thus behind the few sessions of the therapy the work of the whole group is concealed. This must ruin the therapist's hope of significantly increasing his potential by focal treatments. The workshop never accepted more than one patient for treatment by one of its members. On the other hand, participation in the workshop yielded experiences which proved