Stephanie Metcalfe : Freud's challenge - Why the Past Matters[1]

Introduction

The case of Eliabeth Von R – Freud’s first full analysis – is important to look at in detail as it shows how the psychoanalytic technique was developed by Freud. He himself underlines its significance: “I derived from this analysis a literally unqualified reliance on my technique.”2 Throughout his work with the patient his contention that her symptoms are intimately linked to her personal history and experiences is affirmed. Taking this approach to the treatment leads him to uncover the root of Elisabeth Von R’s hysterical symptoms. He is steadfast in his belief that the symptoms origin can be uncovered through free association in sessions and through the appropriate interventions of the analyst that will continue to allow the patient uncover repressed material. In examining this case we turn our attention to what we can learn from tracing the development of Freud’s approach – the preliminary sessions, his handling of the transference and how he deals with the resistance of the patient in order to unlock traumatic memories in her history.

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