The analyst’s vitalizing function and the living word in the analysis room: from Thomas Ogden

Abstract:

This article aims to present some ideas by Thomas Ogden on the importance given to feelings of vitality and devitalization, as a fundamental measure for understanding what happens in the analytical process. With the use of two clinical vignettes by one of the authors, the intention was to articulate with Ogden’s ideas, highlighting the referral to a vitalized encounter between the analyst and the patient through a living language, aiming at the search for connected emotional truth to the vitality of the session.

Keywords: vitality; devitalization; living language; Thomas Ogden