The meaning of the symbolic function in psychoanalytic psychotherapy: Clinical theory and psychotherapeutic applications

This study presents the clinical theory and psychotherapeutic applications of symbolic function in psychoanalytic psychotherapy. The three modes of symbolic function (indexical, iconic and conventional symbolic) form the representations of the self and the object and further the unconscious fantasy, which includes the affective bond between these representations. During his/her development the child absorbs from the mother a new ego capacity (by means of identification), which I call the reflective-integration capacity. Then, the ego of the child has two crucial functions: the fantasy world adopted through the symbolic function and the reflective-integrative capacity. In psychoanalytic psychotherapy our aim is to study the fantasy world of the patient by means of the reflective-integrative capacity or if this capacity is missing or weak, ro promote its development. During psychoanalytic psychotherapy a shared area of reflection-integration is formed, in which the healing changes occur. These healing changes include mainly the formation, consolidation and enrichment of the symbolic function of the patient. The consolidation of symbolic function and the capacity to move within the different modes of symbolic function occur in the area of psychology in which there are incapabilities and/or conflicts (e.g. separation anxiety) in the patient. Clinical case material is presented to illustrate these phenomena.