ABSTRACT
Erickson's “February Man” is a revolutionary 1945 case study of the creation of a benign figure in the consciousness of a depressed, fearful young woman. This approach provides for the experiencing of benevolent attention and nurturance that may have been deficient in the formative years. Such deficiencies may cause developmental lags, inexplicable emotional constriction, and fearfulness. This chapter describes two recent case studies patterned after the “February Man” approach. The first case concerns a young man who requested help to stop drinking and sort out relationship and career issues; the second follows a Vietnam veteran grappling with issues of self-worth and suicidal ideation.
