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Chapter Four – The diachronic analysis – who, what and when? – Page 134
adjustment’, and the use of hypnosis to get closer to the patient. This needs more
discussion, which it doesn’t seem to get, because it becomes time for the break.
In this, Judi expresses anxiety about being more of a teacher. 11 Judi is trying to raise the
issue of both Paula and Veronica bringing themselves into the group rather than what
has ostensibly been invited, but then takes that to Ron doing well (a possible
unconscious stroke to me as his clinical supervisor). I am wanting to bring things back
in to the group, but again Judi goes to Kelly, and then to a fear of Veronica feeling got
at. I am more worried about Heidi, who Judi notes smiled at a couple of things that Judi
said, and Judi picks up on her (Heidi’s) anger or resentment at the women who are able
to be ‘ditsy’. Judi is concerned at Tom’s missing the boat. I am concerned at him
bringing in something so different to psychoanalysis at the point when we are working
hard to integrate the group’s understanding of psychoanalytic concepts. We do not
really seem to know what to do with Tom other than support him. Thinking anxiously
about getting back, Judi plans that we try and talk about feeling a pressure to be too
supervisory, and I think that we should reflect with them on what is happening and how
we are going.
Judi and I return after the break. Before I turn the tape on, I ask how things are going.
As the tape starts, I am responding to Heidi saying (rather shockingly) that she feels
dead. In a way, one meaning for what happens next is that Heidi brings things right into
the room through identification with the patient. As noted above, this sequence is
analysed in more depth in Chapter Six.
11 As I write, I am aware that we don’t try and hold on to (i.e. mark and recall) our experience, for
example on first breaking, as powerfully influenced by our countertransference, fuelled in the break by
recency and urgency, and hence we lose some of our potential capacity to make meaning of it.