ABSTRACT
This chapter concentrates on a fundamental aspect of the therapeutic and diagnostic process: the evaluation of anxiety (vertex A of the triangle of conflict) when it is present in a session as a dysfunctional pattern correlated to a specific medical or psychological disorder.
A general outline is presented concerning anxiety and its neurophysiological correlates, with particular references to the work of Josette ten Have-de Labije and her subdivisions of the manifestation of anxiety according to three main discharge pathways: discharge through striated muscle, discharge through smooth muscle, and discharge through the cognitive-perceptual system. For each pathway described, the main, related symptoms are described, as well as the medical symptomology and main associated disorders. There are numerous references and connections with the theory of Transactional Analysis. Ample attention is also dedicated to which “signals” should be observed and investigated during intensive therapy sessions in order to work safely.
