Sacred Psychoanalysis - etheses Repository - University of ...

linking to the other/Other (PM, JG), and some that there are forms of engagement in the
space created psychically (AL) or intersubjectively (JB).
The personal present – conscious presence
The opening conversations related to the practicalities of interviewing, a socially stylised
convention of greeting and enquiring about the journey, the setting-up of recording
equipment and seating, a clarification of time limits and obtaining ethical permission.
My desire to establish trust and build rapport I saw as essential for an interview process
where I would be enquiring about sensitive topics for psychoanalysts. My strategy was to
be well prepared by having read as much of their work as possible, immersing myself in
their thinking and searching for clues as to areas I could follow up as the interview evolved.
This reflected my academic responsibility, giving due recognition to their work and
contribution to knowledge. It also reflected my anxiety about being taken seriously as a
researcher interviewing psychoanalysts and not being an analyst myself, though this was
only mentioned once and never appeared to be a problem. It enabled me to orientate myself
to the unknown and provide myself with intellectual defences. Such an approach had mixed
results. Several were pleasantly surprised as I reminded them of ideas they had not
connected before (AL, AN). For others it was not something that emerged in the interview
(PM, AP) yet for JB and JG it revealed that despite my preparation I had missed a key paper
(JB) or simply not been aware of the vast extent of their writing (JG). JG however found
my ability to understand his work, to engage him with questions that stretched his thinking
and to give him new opportunity for reflection a profound experience describing me as the
consummate pastor/psychoanalyst. I experienced both embarrassment and pleasure,
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