* Evoking and Utilizing Psychodynamic Processes

Erickson

Well. Jane, what’s on the books for tonight?

Subject

Ever since I’ve been here I’ve been trying to remember my shorthand … I’m supposed to go out from here tonight not being afraid of swimming or of water. Is that right?

Erickson

With some better understanding. Do you recaIl how it has to be done?

Subject

No. I remember some things. Dr. Fink, do you remember? I told you about “this damn war,” and then adding t-e [to war to make water]; and then there was a long word but I still don’t know what that is.

Erickson

Anything else?

Subject

Oh, yes. I sincerely hated my mother and my father and my little sister. Let’s see. I could say, too, that it shouldn’t be the water I should be afraid of. That was more or less of a cover-up. I was pretty mad at my mother and father and instead of staying mad of them. I hated water. My own deductions .. . . There was something else ….You said something about suppressed emotions. You seemed to think that I think it’s a sign of weakness to cry and do foolish things, but I don’t think I do.

Erickson

What do you think?

Subject

No, I don’t think I do. Anyway I don’t think I think I do. When I see other people crying and going through things like that. I never think they are weak.

Erickson

But you think it’s weakness on your part.

Subject

It all depends on why I was crying.

Erickson

Anything else?

Subject

Yes. I know there’s something I’ve forgotten.

Erickson

How did you feel after that session?

Subject

I had a rip-roaring headache. Otherwise it was quite enlightening. I mean, I never imagined I could absolutely want to strangle my mother and father and Helen too.

Erickson

How do you feel about discovering these things?

Subject

It’s very interesting. It probably would be useful, too, if I just knew how to use those things, now that I’ve got them. It’s like having a car and not knowing how to drive it.

Erickson

That’s something one learns.

Subject

Yes.

Rossi

This session takes place at the end of June, about three weeks after the previous session in which she experienced a great deal of psychodynamic insight. At the end of that session you suggested that she not try to swim yet. You begin this session with your typical assessment of the previous work. When you ask her how she felt after the work, she reports, “I had a rip-roaring headache.” Do you have any idea why she experienced that headache? We know from her previous remarks that she also experienced headaches after her hypnotic sessions with Dr. Fink.

Erickson

Yes, she uncovered all her memories last session, but here she has amnesia again. She’s lost all perspective. She recalls only a small part of it.

Rossi

Is that because she still has conflict about it?

Erickson

No, she hates Helen. Why? Because Helen was heavy and held onto the tub, so the accident was not Jane’s fault. Her mother misunderstood, her father misunderstood, all the things she mentioned [see review in Table 1, Section 2.15]. You see, it was a large picture with many elements.

Rossi

And it’s crucial to understand those individual elements of the situation.

Erickson

And she’s having a headache trying to sort them out in her mind.

Rossi

So her hard work, the difficult mental effort, is causing the headache.