Meeting of the Psychoanalytic Association of New York

DISCUSSION: Dr. Michael Singer complimented Dr. Silber's courage, honesty, and humility in sharing his personal psychoanalytic odyssey in an effort to educate and stimulate others. Inspired by Dr. Silber's self-analysis, Dr. Singer said that he asked several colleagues about their attempts at self-analysis, and most admitted that their efforts were meager and incomplete. He noted that no analysis is complete. Most analysts can recognize ongoing conflicts, but attempts at self-analysis tend to repeat similar ideas before meeting inevitable resistance. He raised the question of whether self-analysis can be differentiated from the process of working through (i.e., synthesizing conflicts that have been previously identified in earlier analyses). Dr. Singer emphasized the indispensable role that the analyst or "other" plays as a transference object and as an interpreter of resistance for the patient. He stressed that such resistance analysis must occur alongside the childhood reconstruction at which Dr. Silber is so adept. He pointed out that Dr. Silber still involves his previous analysts "in effigy" when he more safely examines his negative transference toward them in their absence. Furthermore, Dr. Silber involves "others" when he says that his self-analysis makes him feel in "the company of analysts" or when he admittedly uses Freud as a role model. Dr. Singer ended by wondering what forces of love and mourning for his lost relatives motivate Dr. Silber to continue his self-analytic work so determinedly, with such strength of character. He suggested that we should all discipline ourselves likewise. Dr. Singer agrees that self-inquiring methods can be an effective form of therapy, whether or not we need the help of further analysis involving an actual "other."

Dr. Marianne Goldberger discussed the contradictory points of view regarding self-analysis. There are those who regard self-analysis as a goal to be achieved in a successful analysis, while others em