On the other hand, you will understand now why our treatment is so protracted. Expanse and multifariousness of the material are not as decisive factors as the question of whether the way is clear. Remember that the same course, which in times of peace, may be traveled in a few hours by railroad, may take an army, during wartime, weeks and weeks, because the resistance of the enemy must first be overcome. Battles to overcome resistance require time in soul life also. I am sorry to say that, up to now, all exertions to shorten the duration of analytical treatments to any appreciable degree, have proved unavailing. It seems that the best way to shorten the length of the treatment, is simply to apply it as correctly as possible. “If I ever felt the temptation to dabble with your science and to attempt to analyze a patient, your information in reference to those resistances, that may be encountered, cured me thoroughly of any such ambition. “But, tell me about the element of personal influence which you have admitted is present in the analysis. Is this not a valuable factor in the battle against resistance?” I am glad that you bring this question up. This personal influence is our strongest dynamic weapon; it is the agent which we introduce as something new, into the analytical situation, thus lending it impetus. This could never be accomplished by the intellectual substance of our interpretation alone because the patient, sharing all the prejudices of his environment, need not have more faith in us than our scientific critics. The neurotic coöperates with the analyst simply because he believes in him, and he believes in him because he gradually develops a certain sentimental trend toward the analyst. A child, also, believes only persons to whom it is attached. I have already told you how we employ this especially great “suggestive” influence. Not to suppress the symptoms—it is here where the analytical method is utterly unlike any other psycho-therapeutical method!—but as a driving power to induce the “I” of the patient to defeat his resistances. “And suppose you succeed? Would that insure easy sailing from then on?” Such ought to be the case. But an unexpected complication arises. It was perhaps the greatest surprise for the analyst to observe that the sentimental relations which the patient endeavors to establish, are of a very particular nature. Already the first physician who attempted analysis—it was not I—discovered this phenomenon, which served to bewilder him intensely. These sentimental relations are, to express it bluntly, of an amorous nature. Remarkable, isn’t it, if you take into consideration the fact that the analyst does nothing to invite such emotions, but rather endeavors to maintain distance, sentimentally speaking, between the patient and himself.