Exploring Silence in Psychoanalytic Theory and Clinical Work

Silence, as an element of the therapeutic encounter has been of interest in psychoanalytic theory from the early stages of its development. Theoretical views on the functions of silence have broadened considerably since the phenomenon was first examined, in line with developments of theory and technique. This literature review aims to explore silence in psychoanalytic theoretical literature and proposes three broad categories of silence in psychoanalytic psychotherapy, namely: silence as defence; silence as connection; and silence as withdrawal. From this review it appears that silences in psychoanalytic therapy may often be multidetermined in nature; it is suggested that there are limits to the extent to which these can, and possibly should, be understood. The implications of the theoretical understanding of silence for clinical practice are then explored, and the importance of each therapist finding their own way to incorporate silence into their work with each patient is acknowledged. Debate within the literature as well as research in this area are important to further understanding of this phenomenon.