ABSTRACT
In psychoanalysis people very often use concepts that “are self-explanatory” and do not seem at first sight to need further explanation or clarification. They imply underlying theories and have a direct influence on the technique. Therefore, any technical interpretation or action responds, in the analytic dialogue, to the “material” the patient brings. The “latent content” present in the material or manifest content unveiled by interpretation seems to be more real than the manifest content. The direct material provided by the patient appeared as the visible manifestation of more important hidden material, which could be reached through its conscious extensions. The reappearance of repressed unconscious material, with the cathartic discharge corresponding to affects previously detached from emotional expression, would lead to the resolution of symptoms. Analytic technique consists, then, in digging up, gradually and with care, the overlapping layers of memories, and as the treatment progresses, new memory material emerges.
