ABSTRACT
In each of these five case studies, I have chosen a few aspects of therapeutic work, from amongst the myriad, to bring to the fore. In this case, I focus on the role of speech in recognising a person’s (Lacan would say subject’s) desire, and how that desire relates to the Other’s desire, maps onto ego identifications, and is embedded in the workings of the signifying chain. I also explicate Lacan’s formulation of “the hysteric’s question”. And if only fragments or possibly none of those opening sentences made sense, the case itself will hopefully shed much light. I often tell my students that when working with Lacanian theory, we must take a breath and remain calm in the face of uncertainty. Lacan’s teachings remind us to dwell in the realm of unknowing, to listen, and to follow the signifiers. The following case also offers an example of working with a client with hysterical structure. First a brief discussion of Lacan’s specific diagnostic scheme is in order.
