1962 Interpretation by allusion:

its relationship with pre-verbal experiences and communications

Abstract

The author considers that interpretation by allusion, formulated through incomplete sentences, sentences with an illogical aspect, isolated words or sounds and, if applicable, mimicry and gestures, has greater therapeutic efficiency in certain analytical situations than traditional, logical-discursive interpretation. Illustrating her point of view, she emphasizes the following points: 1) The decisive importance for the evolution of the human being of emotional atmospheric radiations, perceptions and communications, from the beginning of life. 2) The pathogenic significance of traumatic atmospheres during the process of language development, capable of limiting and disturbing communication with the environmental world. 3) Direct and immediate interpretations, due to their characteristics, do not reach the patient’s archaic experiential layers with sufficient depth in certain phases, thus becoming inassimilable for his weak and pre-verbal ego. 4) Interpretations by allusion, in addition to being closer to the patient’s archaic experiential levels, allow us to avoid defense through intellectualization. 5) Interpretations by allusion, in certain periods of the analysis, are more favorable to the processes of expansion and clarification of the patient’s diffuse atmospheric experiences, whose remobilization is decisive for therapeutic success. Furthermore, such interpretations give the patient a greater opportunity to reach insights into his or her own inner world. 6) Interpretations by allusion can trigger the patient’s motor reactivity in a productive way for the analysis. 7) The author, in explaining certain advantages of interpretation by allusion, does not intend to underestimate the traditional interpretative activity. The latter can even be prepared by the former, in order to become more efficient.