1986: Dr. Spotnitz was a very dynamic and confident man who conveyed a specific analytic attitude along with the verbal intervention. Relating his actual recommended interventions can only give a hint of the attitude and definiteness accompanying it. Part and parcel of the supervision was incorporating the correct analytic attitude toward the patient.
Responding to a case of a stubborn man who is damaging to his relationships and resists treatment: "Come to my office and do what I tell you so I can help you. Your thoughts, feelings and judgment is no good. Come in so that I can take care of you. I'll structure you - come in {the 'structure' refers to asking questions]. Come in, lie down and talk. Answer my questions. Force the patient to get well. Be persistent! Don't let up!
An inconsistent younger patient:
You're not getting any place, you need regular appointments and to talk about the five subject areas every session. [Dr. Spotnitz's variation on "say everything" and "tell the story of your life" is to tell the patient to cover five areas each session: current life, past life, dream life, sex life and therapy-thoughts,feelings and ideas about the therapist and the treatment]. Work on getting cured. Tell me everything - don't be a faker and a liar. Take regular sessions and cut out all drugs. Be a regular guy. You're behind schedule, you're wasting your life, you're too old to be fooling around.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Working with two people
1986: The following comments were made in response to specific case material.
If a patient brings someone else in for treatment and that 'new' person starts attacking you then it's likely that your first patient is using that person to attack you. Place all of the responsibility on your first patient - he has to make the referred person behave whether he hates them or not. He has to make him come in and tell the story of his life.
When you are working with two people don't become the enemy of either one. Ask each one "What should I do if he wants this or that".
If a patient brings someone else in for treatment and that 'new' person starts attacking you then it's likely that your first patient is using that person to attack you. Place all of the responsibility on your first patient - he has to make the referred person behave whether he hates them or not. He has to make him come in and tell the story of his life.
When you are working with two people don't become the enemy of either one. Ask each one "What should I do if he wants this or that".
Dr. Hyman Spotnitz, 'father' of Modern Psychoanalysis
Monday, August 23, 2010
The Teachings of Dr. Hyman Spotnitz
I am beginning a journey of sharing my notes made in individual training sessions with Dr. Spotnitz over a period of thirty five years. These notes are not being presented in a chronological order but where possible I will include the dates of the sessions in which they were made.
Dr. Spotnitz's analyst was analyzed by Dr. Sigmund Freud and he was proud of the fact that his analytic 'pedigree' made him Freud's "grandson" and felt that I should be proud that I was Freud's "psychoanalytic great grandson". He felt that although psychoanalysis was limited in it's understanding of human beings it was the best tool available. Dr. Spotnitz was a firm believer in analyzing everything and his active interventions frequently focused on the patient's contacts with the therapist.
In 1986: "When you are accused of something don't deny it, analyze the accusations. In responding to case material in which I was being blamed by the patient Spotnitz suggested that I could respond...."what made me so bad?, why didn't I do it right? what's wrong with me? how to explain it? Will you help me? When the patient makes clear that she doesn't want to help me: "Why do only what's good for you, why not do what's best for both of us.
Dr. Spotnitz's analyst was analyzed by Dr. Sigmund Freud and he was proud of the fact that his analytic 'pedigree' made him Freud's "grandson" and felt that I should be proud that I was Freud's "psychoanalytic great grandson". He felt that although psychoanalysis was limited in it's understanding of human beings it was the best tool available. Dr. Spotnitz was a firm believer in analyzing everything and his active interventions frequently focused on the patient's contacts with the therapist.
In 1986: "When you are accused of something don't deny it, analyze the accusations. In responding to case material in which I was being blamed by the patient Spotnitz suggested that I could respond...."what made me so bad?, why didn't I do it right? what's wrong with me? how to explain it? Will you help me? When the patient makes clear that she doesn't want to help me: "Why do only what's good for you, why not do what's best for both of us.
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