ABSTRACT
The encounter between the first European explorers and the natives of faraway lands, recounted in particular by Captain James Cook in the 1700s, confirms the presence of numerous and contrasting sentiments felt by all involved, which left everyone in a state of uncertainty, grappling with feelings of marvel, fear of the unknown, diffidence, curiosity, courage and defensive aggression. All observed, interpreted, attempted various approaches, but also imagined what the other might be thinking and scheming.
Even these days, despite our improved scientific and cultural knowledge, every first encounter between two people elicits different thoughts and emotions. Such is the case in the encounter between patient and analyst: both experience questions, fears and hope. The exchanges between the two will elicit feelings that the patient projects in the transference, which the analyst contains and processes in the countertransference.
In the case of adult patients with autistic residuals, the defensive structures formed over time will appear more evident, while the deficient part will remain hidden, sending out signals of emptiness. Only if the analyst has the patience for prolonged observations and is able to process the countertransference will she be able to see what had been invisible, thus putting together what she observed externally with her own feelings, and constructing a synthesis in her own mind of what she has interpreted.
