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Freud's publication of Totem and Taboo and, later, Group Psychology and the Analysis of the Ego set the stage for a movement that even Freud could not have envisioned. These two works, along with his
other writings, reflect his deep and abiding interest in applied psychoanalysis, but always in the direction of scholarly endeavors. He did not foresee the growing interest in the uses of psychoanalysis in mediation and other forms of formal conflict resolution in consulting with organizations. This movement takes the analyst away from the couch and away from therapeutic work with emotionally disturbed patients. Instead of applying psychoanalysis to deepen the insights of educators, or in the scholarly endeavors of sociologists and anthropologists, this new movement fosters a practice based on psychoanalytic theory inside organizations in a consultative role. The object of change and remedial action is the organization as it is affected by the people who exercise authority within it.
If we look for lofty motives—such as the desire to advance knowledge— in order to understand the increasing interest in consulting to organizations, we are looking initially in the wrong direction. Alas, economics plays a large role in turning attention to the possibilities of consulting work in organizations.
The simple fact and point of departure is the scarcity of analytic cases. Psychoanalytic practice is drying up. Once the premier if not the only activity of analysts, clinical psychoanalysis hardly affords a living, let alone a satisfactory return on one's investment in professional training. Analysts do psychotherapy, blurring the distinction between the intensive psychological work of psychoanalysis and the less intensive forms of treatment. As a result of the changing economics of treatment for mental illnesses, psychoanalysts and other practitioners are looking well beyond their offices for profitable sites in which to practice.
Where is the psychoanalyst to turn for guidance in ap