ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the reflections of eighteen patients on how they began their analytic journeys. Psychoanalytic treatment is not often represented in the Australian popularist culture, so many people would have little idea of what psychoanalysis really involves, not only in terms of time and monetary commitment, but also in emotional investment. Five of the eighteen patients chose their analyst through prior personal experience. A major influence was some knowledge and understanding of the process or of familiarity with a particular analyst through work-related experiences as health professionals. Ten patients said that they had no idea of how to choose an analyst and, thus, contacted their local psychoanalytic institute. Three patients chose analysts from the phone book; with two patients it was, apparently, a random choice; the third was more selective. Patients without any prior understanding or knowledge of psychoanalysis described a variety of different experiences when seeking information about the process.
