The Alicia case. Daydreaming directed from a person-centered perspective.

Abstract

From a rogerian point of view the author presents the analysis of a day dream therapeutic session according to Robert Desoille’s technique with a patient called Alice. Day dream situation offers an analogy with the events which were really lived and are synthesised in a fantastic scenery which help us to go into the affective background which determines the patient’s neurotic behavior. This day dream constitutes a valuable example of the crucial importance of the corrective emotional experience of the patient’s meanings. The therapist’s empathic understanding, together with his continuous focusing on the patient and his non-directive attitude, also plays a central role.