Chapter 3: Neutrality and the Therapeutic Alliance: What Does the Analyst Want?

Best known in analytic circles for his reexamination of the work of Sándor Ferenczi in relation to contemporary developments in clinical psychoanalysis. He aims to integrate the views of Ferenczi, an analytic pioneer and technical experimenter, with more traditional clinical perspectives. Interestingly, his presentation at the seminars was received by many as advocating a particularly austere technical position, emphasizing neutrality and eschewing therapeutic intent. Like Abend, Hoffer is mistrustful of the alliance as biased toward reason, limiting the scope and depth of exploration of unreason, the unconscious, feelings and transference, especially negative transference. Following Ferenczi, Hoffer argues for a unitary view of the therapeutic relationship which is contrary to the dichotomy inherent in the reasonable alliance—irrational transference distinction. His novel metaphor for “what the analyst wants” in the treatment situation is sure to evoke interest and controversy.—STL