Psychoanalysis.  2024 Oct;35(4):50-59. 10.18529/psychoanal.2024.35.4.50.

Resistance and Narrative Truth: Problem of Bifurcation and Possibility of Complementarity

• Lee CH

• KMID: 2560719
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.18529/psychoanal.2024.35.4.50

Abstract

Contemporary psychoanalysis, while diversified into various theories, fundamentally bifurcates into resistance analysis (analysis of ego) and the creation of narrative truth (analysis of drives/Id) in terms of methodology. Ego analysis, the core goal and method of ego psychology, focuses on defense and resistance analysis, aiming for maturation and development of ego functions by collaborat-ing with a patient’s ego. On the other hand, the creation of narrative truth as a methodology primarily relies on drive analysis, which bypasses patients’ ego and focuses on aspects of drives. All psychoanalysts, including Freud, tend to oscillate ambiguously between these two methodologies, moving from drive analysis to ego analysis and returning to drive analysis again. When psycho-analysts do not clearly distinguish between these opposing approaches and fail to recognize our stances, the psychoanalytic process can become confusing, leading to a lack of effective therapeutic changes for patients. Therefore, the author suggests that we should acknowledge our position of bifurcation between analysis of resistance and defense, create narrative truth, and integrate usefulness and limitations of both approaches in a complementary manner so that a higher level of therapeutic effectiveness in psychoanaly-sis could be achieved.

Keyword

Resistance; Defense; Narrative truth; Ego psychology; Integration