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The metaphor we chose to use as a title for this contribution, “crystal balls,” belongs to the internal jargon of our psychoanalytic circle: the C.i.f.r.a (now apart of OPIFER).† It all began by chance, during a clinical meeting some years ago. The case under discussion seemed to be rather delicate, and the presenting analyst insisted a lot on how cautiously she thought it necessary to act with that patient, especially in interpreting, when one of us (Giuseppe Miniati) broke into the following phrase: “Why! Not all of them fall to pieces as soon as you address them. Patients are not Christmas balls!”
Do you remember? Those crystal ornaments of our infancy (at least that of the most aged of us, before the plastic age): beautiful as can be, transparent and iridescent like soap bubbles, gently laid on the Christmas tree, but… so fragile! Decorating and undecorating the tree was a feast, but also such a tragedy! Half of them broke at the least touch. You really had to handle them with much care! Was it the same with certain patients? or was it not? Indeed, Miniati's fascinating metaphor, although used by him to criticize an exceeding caution and the analyst's tendency to leave out deep interpretations, seemed just as capable of representing both the