The analytic relationship

Conclusions

The more the analyst has accepted and found himself the more will he approximate a total grasp of his patient's dilemma. With the happy marriage of reason and love he will know naturally with “what, how, and when” to come in in order to help his patient gain understanding and begin to accept himself. He will be in the analysis with his own feelings and beliefs, so that his patient will sense his solidity and “there-ness”. But he will not overburden his patient by contributing to his need for a superauthority. With a sense of perceptive moderation he will help his patient stay closer to feeling inner conflict without being overwhelmed by it. He will work toward a decrease of compulsive reactions and toward firm, solid, rational feelings which will be more appropriate to both his inner life and his relations with his environment. As an accepting, though not indiscriminately approving, partner he will provide his patient with a living mirror for reality testing. As we become more human as therapists, we will be better able to accept our patients so that they can accept themselves.