On: Reply to Joseph Schachter's Comments1

Dear Editors,

I should like to thank Joseph Schachter very much for his interesting comments on my letter to the Editors on: ‘At what age should a psychoanalyst retire?’ (IJP 94:793-7, ).

Schachter has emphasized a number of important points. He is in favour, for instance, of the idea that psychoanalytic societies should propose that elderly psychoanalysts participate in a clinical seminar of intervision in which they would have exchanges with psychoanalysts of different age groups. To this, Schachter adds an original proposal which takes account of the fact that, for some psychoanalysts, especially those who have always practised psychoanalysis privately, retirement poses financial problems and so it is important for them to continue to earn a living. Few of them venture to speak about this. Schachter puts forward a new suggestion that would allow elderly psychoanalysts to remain members of their society if they are willing to take part in a seminar of intervision: “…to offer them exemption from all society/institute dues if they participated in the intervision”.

Schachter's suggestion highlights a point of view that I would like to develop. I think that it is important to say that in a psychoanalytic society we appreciate the presence of elderly members who are conscious of their age, recognize their new limits, and are keen to transmit their long experience. They have a specific role to play alongside their colleagues and it would be a pity if the society were deprived of it. This perspective can change the view that younger colleagues have of their elderly colleagues, but also the view that these elderly colleagues have of themselves. Feeling useful while being oneself with the age one has, conscious of one's losses as well as one's gains, not only helps one to avoid feeling unwanted but also to avoid the risk of clinging to former ages and qualities that one no longer has. This would perhaps help us to view retirement differently, our own as well as that of our co