ABSTRACT
Patient relates feeling good during interruption of therapy, but there was a return of tension and headaches just prior to its resumption. He relates a dream in which a sadistic husband dies, to the relief of his dependent and masochistic wife, who had been struggling to become a “mensch.” In the dream the husband is revived by a “silly” student. At this point, patient is very moved and sobs. He interprets that he is the wife and that the analyst is the upsetting factor that is keeping him down, and adds that he almost cried when he realized he had death wishes toward the analyst. Therapist interprets patient’s dependency-independency conflict in a variety of contexts and jokingly chides patient for not knowing whether he wants to be a man or a woman. When patient relates this to his lack of potency, therapist reassures him regarding his potency and psychological strength, stating that patient clings to his symptoms in order to cling to therapist. When patient complains about his headache and requests empirin-codeine, therapist does not grant this request for medication, but instead interprets the headache as an expression of patient’s hostility toward therapist and patient’s brother, due to frustration of his dependency wishes. Much intellectual discussion ensues about these psychodynamic formulations. Therapist points out patient’s ambivalent 124feelings and the hostile component that produces guilt. At this point sadness and tears are observed in patient. The session is ended early by therapist, at number 40.
