ABSTRACT
I shall refer in this essay to the psychical activity of the analyst during the session, for which I shall put forward the concept of the countertransference position. I would not use a neologism if I did not consider it more appropriate to the problems raised by the countertransference as I see them at present.After all, the countertransference has been discussed in a wide range of contexts and is not an unequivocal concept. I shall not offer a historical review of the concept or an enumeration of the bibliographical references, but shall confine myself to some aspects essential for an understanding of my argument.The term ‘countertransference’may denote not only the unresolved neurotic aspects of the analyst but also his unconscious psychical functioning.
