The Human Dimension in Psychoanalytic Practice: Kenneth A. Frank, Ed.,  Grune & Stratton, New York, 1977.

The thesis of this interesting volume is stated in the very first sentence of the preface. “I have had a growing conviction,” says editor Kenneth A. Frank, “that most traditional theoretical and technical papers about psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic psychotherapy … have failed to address a highly significant area: the personal experience, attitudes and involvement of the analyst, which contribute importantly to the interpersonal subtleties and uncharted techniques which may, in fact, constitute the effective core of psychotherapy…. There is a dearth of responsible, highly personal articles by technically competent psychoanalysts, emphasizing self-disclosure and addressing the informative issues of the analyst's personal involvement in his work and his real, human relationship with his patients.” The introduction sounds the same theme. Frank quotes Harry Guntrip: “In the last resort good therapists are born not trained, and they make the best use of training.” He then quotes Truax: “Basically, the personality of the therapist is more important than his technique. Conversely, however, techniques can be quite potent in the hands of a therapist who is inherently helpful…. Therapists or counsellors who are accurately empathic, non-possessively warm in attitude, and genuine, are indeed effective.” Frank goes on to cite opinions that Sigmund Freud himself “could hardly be identified as a ‘classical’ analyst” and then quotes Anna Freud as though to finally legitimize the notion that “analyst and patient are also two real people, of equal adult status, in a real personal relationship with each other.”

To explore and support this thesis, editor Frank presents the views of a baker's dozen analysts of varying backgrounds and theoretical persuasions. The thirteen essayists demonstrate that they are indeed involved and intensely caring “analyst-persons” rather than “analyst-technicians,” and not at all the blank screens or mirrors that are supposedly the ideal of the “classical”