Verbal Intervention Techniques

Free Association, Floating Attention and Silence

The fundamental technique of psychoanalysis and psychodynamic therapy is Free Association.

It consists of giving the patient freedom to express himself without censorship, narrating any idea, thought or memory as it arises, no matter how incongruous it may seem.

The therapist does not let the patient speak "at free rein" without purpose, but subtly guides the patient to connect the dots and associate the narrated elements.

For this to work, the therapist must maintain a Floating Attention, listening without privileging a priori any element of the discourse.

Silence is an active technical tool; it involves being quiet in order to listen attentively and allow the patient to connect with his or her inner world.

Although necessary, excessive silence can be tormenting or "drilling" for the patient, sometimes precipitating an emotional discharge or catharsis.

Interpretation, Confrontation and Clarification

Interpretation seeks to give sense or meaning to what is manifested by the patient through free association; it is the tool of choice for making the unconscious conscious, although it carries the risk of the therapist projecting his own subjectivity if it is not well analyzed.

Confrontation brings the patient "face to face" with reality, pointing out contradictions, incongruities or inconsistencies in his speech or behavior (e.g. "you say you don't care, but you are crying").

Clarification seeks to clarify and organize the patient's account, unraveling confusing information; the therapist may ask "did you mean this?" to confirm and clarify ideas.

Summary

The fundamental technique is Free Association, where the patient express