Memorandum on her Technique by Marjorie Brierley: Memo on Valid Technique for the Training Committee, October 25th, 1943

Mr Strachey noted that the details of individual technique ‘continue to be wrapped in unholy mystery’. Unless this mystery is substantially reduced I do not see how we are to find out what the limits are within which technique may vary and yet retain validity, in particular for training purposes. At this juncture we need to discover what techniques are in use in current practice in order to establish empirical rather than theoretical criteria. Some consideration of general principles will be necessary but we must state frankly what we do and why we do it if we are to get the data we require. At the same time, it is obviously impracticable for anyone of us, let alone all, to give a complete account of our individual methods. Leaving out of account all deliberate modifications in war emergency cases, etc., in routine analysis my own behaviour varies so much in detail from patient to patient that I often feel I have no technique. Nevertheless, I think it may help to keep discussion on the level of the actual conduct of cases if I state as briefly as possible the gist of what I do myself about a few selected topics. Such a course may tend to prevent our losing ourselves in generalities by providing a few solid bones of contention.

I propose then to begin by stating as shortly as possible what I consider my aim and my task as an analyst to be, how I pursue them, and what guides me in this work. I shall then give one instance of handling of a patient at the beginning of treatment. I have chosen this illustration partly because it was at the beginning, and it is therefore easier to summarize the information I had at the time, and partly