Forbidden Talk: Commentary on Article by Andrea Celenza “The Guilty Pleasure of Erotic Countertransference: Searching for Radial True”

Abstract

Sexual passions lie outside the bounds of what can usually be thought about and discussed. I applaud Celenza's (this issue) contribution to opening this area for discussion, but my understanding of the passionate nature of human experience requires that her relational conceptualizations be augmented by Freudian and Lacanian models of desire, the real, and jouissance. These models help us recognize that some psychic material can never be put into words or thought. Although we seek to expand thinking and speaking, a residue will always remain that is unthinkable. I suggest analytic therapists develop intimate peer support groups to enhance the individual's ability to think and talk of his or her unrecognized passions. Although necessarily inadequate, such arenas for safe exploration provide an essential addition to ongoing efforts to work both passionately and safely with vulnerable patients.