Clinical Life in the Context of the Pandemic

Am J Psychoanal. 2021 Sep;81(3):361-394. doi: 10.1057/s11231-021-09308-9.

Abstract

In this article, six analysts describe theory and practice in the time of COVID-19, examining the quality of après-coup in the way that the pandemic and its attendant crises trigger early memory and early experiences of helplessness. In the clinical events we see that the age of the patient, the circumstances and approach of the analyst, the novelty of the frame are all crucial determinants of clinical outcomes.

Keywords: après-coup; developmental level; frame; helplessness.

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19*
  • Humans
  • Psychoanalysis*
  • Psychoanalytic Therapy*
  • SARS-CoV-2