@article{Agatsuma, author = {Agatsuma, Soh}, title = {Supportive psychotherapy of a psychodynamic orientation as an adjunctive treatment for drug-induced depression: A case study}, series = {International Forum of Psychoanalysis, Vol. 27 (No. 4, 2018), pp. 248-254.}, journal = {International Forum of Psychoanalysis, Vol. 27 (No. 4, 2018), pp. 248-254.}, abstract = {Treatment for drug-induced depression usually consists of cessation or reduction of the causative agent and psychopharmacologic management. In addition, psychotherapy can be useful as an adjunctive treatment. The author presents case material related to a young woman with an inborn physical illness, who became depressed during the course of interferon treatment for a medical complication, hepatitis virus infection. In addition to the cessation of interferon and pharmacologic management, supportive psychotherapy of a psychodynamic orientation was started in order to address the patient's low self-esteem and anxiety about her future. During the course of psychotherapy, it was understood that the premature cessation of interferon was, to her, a narcissistic injury. It was also important to explore the meanings of her inborn illness and her guilty feelings. After reviewing various formulations of depression, the author discusses the case material from an integrative perspective, which describes vicious cycles of depression.}, language = {en} } @article{Agatsuma, author = {Agatsuma, Soh}, title = {The analyst's intent and the analytic process: A note supporting a contextual understanding of the patient's experience of the analytic attitude}, series = {International Forum of Psychoanalysis, Abingdon (Routledge - Taylor and Francis) Vol. 23 (No. 3, 2014), pp. 183-188.}, journal = {International Forum of Psychoanalysis, Abingdon (Routledge - Taylor and Francis) Vol. 23 (No. 3, 2014), pp. 183-188.}, abstract = {The relationship between psychoanalytic theory and psychoanalytic practice is highly complicated. In this paper, the author presents case material from the psychoanalysis of a man with social anxiety. In the process, the analyst came to be perceived as a version of a blank screen. At the same time, the analyst noted a discrepancy between the patient's attitude on and off the couch. Further work revealed that this splitting in his attitude had its root in the patient's relationship with his parents during his childhood. It was crucially important that the analyst did not take his perceived blankness as a technical success but that he understood the patient's reaction contextually, taking his past relationships with his parents into consideration. The author then discusses theoretical issues related to the blank screen concept. Finally, the author discusses the importance of understanding the two aspects of analytic theorizing, that is, the prescriptive and descriptive aspects.}, language = {en} } @article{Agatsuma, author = {Agatsuma, Soh}, title = {Differentiating Two Kinds of Neutrality}, series = {International Forum of Psychoanalysis, Abingdon (Routledge - Taylor and Francis) Vol. 23 (No. 4, 2014), pp. 238-245.}, journal = {International Forum of Psychoanalysis, Abingdon (Routledge - Taylor and Francis) Vol. 23 (No. 4, 2014), pp. 238-245.}, abstract = {Neutrality is a most important concept, yet a controversial one. Theorists of different analytic schools have defined it in their own terms, leaving behind them a legacy of disparate and often contradictory formulations. In this paper, the author reviews briefly some of these ideas about neutrality. Then, from a contemporary interpersonal/relational perspective, the author takes a new look at the idea of neutrality. The author points out how unacknowledged discrepancies among these ideas get in the way of understanding and so complicate analytic discourse, and argues that useful work with this concept requires that analysts differentiate between two aspects of neutrality, specifically operational neutrality and intentional neutrality. The theoretical discussion is followed by a case vignette illustrating the clinical usefulness of this differentiation.}, language = {en} }