An agoraphobic patient's husband developed leukemia during the course of her analysis. She was compelled to deny this very threatening situation, doing so partly by turning to more active analysis in other areas. Pressman permitted this expression of denial and notes that it permitted the development of ego strength so that she was eventually better able to cope with recognition of her husband's illness. The series of reactions to her husband's illness thus converted the analysis from a stalemate into one showing considerable progress. Katan discusses the nature of the denial and considers various other ways in which the denial might have been analyzed.