ABSTRACT
This chapter suggests that what is “wrong” is for the analyst to lose the freedom to explore his or her own difficulties in coming to his or her sense of the particular details of the analytic frame. The analyst is always maintaining some balance between participating and observing the interaction. If the analyst has a sliding scale, the patient’s reality is also a factor, as is the patient’s perception of the analyst’s reality. When it comes to the monetary transactions between analyst and patient, the analyst is a very real participant and this puts additional strain on his or her capacity as observer. The chapter illustrates an enactment of transferential and countertransferential issues around a low fee. It presents a case study of Rita. Rita is a stylish, sexy, forty-something twin, born towards the middle of eight children in a working-class family. Her mother focused on appearances, wanting to present an idyllic familial face to the world.
