On Freud and memories

The inference that Freud and Jung’s mutual knowledge of each other’s alleged affairs brought them to a personal/professional stalemate is a very interesting one [“A Most Dangerous Story,” April 2012]. Also fascinating is the inference that Freud’s retreat from his belief in clients’ implicit revelations of abuse (evidently acknowledging that only the Wolf Man’s disclosures were explicit) was a conscientious scientific course correction.

Frank Cioffi, among others, has cited Freud’s quote from Ernest Jones’  biography: “Quite often we do not succeed in bring the patient to recollect what has been repressed. Instead we produce in him an assured conviction of the truth of the construction, which achieves the same therapeutic result as a recaptured memory.”

— Ken McElheny, Brookline, MA

Op-art by Robbie Neal