ABSTRACT
Dr. Sandor Ferenczi had to sacrifice a good deal of his medical narcissism before he was able to discover the hidden anxiety behind this dependence and gratitude of his patients. Ferenczi was predestined for this task: the understanding of the mind of the neurotic, and through it that of the child. The only thing which could permanently hold his interest, in which his restless spirit found rest, was: helping, healing. The technical writings of Anna Freud which appeared between 1912 and 1915 included an excellent resume of the method of that time. Thereafter Freud scarcely touched on technical problems in his writings. The results of these experiences were summarised, in the book written jointly by Ferenczi and Rank. It was emphasised that the whole analytical treatment really is a shattering experience for the patient, that it forms one of the most important stages of his libido development.
