Dear readers,
With the current issue of the Scandinavian Psychoanalytic Review, we follow our efforts to get on track with the publication rhythm of the journal. It is the second volume of the 2022 issue which will be followed by a double volume for 2023 soon. This means that we will be able to publish the two volumes for 2024 in time.
The group of editors is working hard not only to catch up with the publications but also to develop the journal in order to make it more interesting to read but also to make it more attractive for authors to publish their manuscripts in the Scandinavian Psychoanalytic Review. As an example, we will now be able to reduce the time period for authors from uploading a manuscript until a final decision significantly. We also want to attract younger colleagues to be engaged in the process as reviewers. Currently, we are developing simplified guidelines for reviewers, which will clearly facilitate the process of writing reviews.
Another aim we have is to make the journal accessible for a wider scope of readers outside the psychoanalytic communities in the Nordic countries, for readers who have interest in psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic topics. This should not only support spreading psychoanalytic knowledge but also may lead eventually to an increase of subscribers. Considerations to start the initiative to cooperate with the colleagues in the Baltic states point into the same direction.
We also plan to introduce new publication formats, e.g., to enable discussions of certain articles. It will be possible to comment on an article, and the author of the original article will get the possibility to respond to the comment. We are also thinking about ‘special issues’ to a certain topic of relevance and the possibility to have guest editors for these ‘special issues’.
Another ongoing discussion in this context is the digitalization of scientific publishing. We have to face this challenge and discuss thoroughly how we need to develop the journal in order to meet the challenges we face. We are in dialogue with other psychoanalytic publishers by participating in a network that was started among editors of psychoanalytic journals at the last congress of the International Psychoanalytical Association in Cartagena. It became very clear that other journals are confronted with the same problems, and the exchange of experiences and new ideas has been very fruitful.
Our group of editors is well aware of that the Scandinavian Psychoanalytic Review is owned by the four psychoanalytical associations in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. Thus, we would like to encourage all members to participate in these ongoing discussions in order to find constructive solutions that can be supported by all four societies.
The articles in this volume represent a wide spectrum of relevant topics and hopefully will find your interest. Volume 45-2 starts with a text by Ståle Gundersen with the title: ‘Mechanisms and fundamental principles in Freudian explanations.’ Gundersen demonstrates that the clinical phenomena described and discussed by Freud and that are important elements of psychoanalytic theories, are supported and explained by two different forms of explanations: explanations referring to mechanisms and explanations referring to fundamental principles. Gunderson shows how just a few numbers of psychoanalytic principles and models of explanatory mechanisms are sufficient for Freud’s theoretical thinking and the psychoanalytic theories and metapsychology he developed.
Linda Johanne Rolfsen describes in her clinical article entitled: ‘I felt a funeral, in my brain: from sticky baby to recycling machine’ how the infantile trauma of a 3-year-old boy was reappearing and actualized in the transference. Rolfsen gives the reader moving insights into the clinical process and psychoanalytic work with such a young client. She clearly points out the problems the analyst may run into during such clinical work. It becomes understandable how a continuous process of containing, processing and digesting finally leads to overcome the paranoid-schizoid position and to the development of a capacity to symbolize.
Another example for early traumatizing experiences and how they effect children where the parents seek for psychoanalytic treatment is given by Katrin Zeuthen in her article on ‘The rejection of knowing.’ Zeuthen’s description of the treatments of two patients who were addicted to sexual excitement makes it clear how long time it takes to listen and to understand the struggle of these patients to handle the experience of an ‘enigmatic approach of the other as always being inside and also outside’, i.e., an inner experience or fantasy and an outside reality. Her case material sheds light on the questions psychoanalysts are confronted with on how an outer reality affects the inner world of the patient and how traumatic experiences are related to what is presented in the treatment room.
The application of an empirical research approach on the concept of the working alliance in a psychoanalytic treatment is presented by Sami Juhani Eloranta in the article: ‘Using therapeutic metacommunication and systematic monitoring of the working alliance in Adolescent Psychotherapy: A clinical case study.’ The working alliance is studied here within the frame of a youth psychotherapy, and the reader gets a good overview on research on the working alliance but also insight into the advantages and disadvantages of empirical research of complex psychoanalytic processes. The use of transcripts offers a unique possibility to realize and describe important interactive sequences of a session. Together with the comments of the therapists about her own thoughts and ideas, this text is a courageous example of openly presenting how clinical work in the session unfolds. The text creates an excellent frame to discuss the concept of metacommunication and how to apply it in youth therapies.
The next article takes up empirical research as well, when describing youth therapies and the way therapists should treat this group of young patients. Inge-Seiffge Krenke discusses in her article ‘Developmental changes and their impact on psychoanalytic technique with emerging adults’ not only changes of treatment techniques within a developmental frame but she also describes the group of early adulthood patients thoroughly. It becomes clear that one of the difficulties for the therapist is to handle identity problems of these patients and thus to find the right balance between giving support and guidance on the one hand side but on the other hand also to let go and give space for the patients when they look for autonomy and that this has to take place within a secure frame of the therapeutic setting.
In the last article, David Potik writes ‘On black holes, psychic deadness and aliveness.’ Black holes are applied as a metaphor patients use after separations or adultery that are experienced as traumatic. Potik describes a clinical phenomenon in which patients regress to a state of psychic deadness. It all depends on the psychoanalytic activity of the therapist whether patients can be helped to survive and find back to experiences of ‘physical and psychic aliveness.’ The description of a single case is elucidating the clinical work with these patients and the complicated connections to transgenerational phenomena.
Two book reviews by Kari Høydahl on Gabriele Junkers’ book Living and Containing Psychoanalysis in Institutions – Psychoanalysts Working Together and by Henrik Enckell on Anders Zachrisson’s book Psychoanalysis my way complete this volume.
I wish you a good and enriching reading experience.