Psychic Equilibrium and Psychic Change: A Psychoanalytic Exploration by Michael Feldman
In his work Psychic Equilibrium and Psychic Change, Michael Feldman offers an in-depth exploration of the dynamic interplay between internal psychic stability and transformation within the therapeutic process. Drawing on psychoanalytic theory, particularly the contributions of Melanie Klein, Donald Winnicott, and Wilfred Bion, Feldman articulates how individuals maintain a fragile equilibrium between their internal desires, fears, defenses, and their capacity for change. This article examines the key psychoanalytic concepts of psychic equilibrium and psychic change, focusing on Feldman’s insights into how these forces operate in the therapeutic setting and how they relate to the overall psychic development of the individual.
Psychic Equilibrium: Maintaining Internal Balance
Psychic equilibrium refers to a state of psychological balance, where an individual’s emotional and mental state is relatively stable. This balance is maintained through the ego’s defenses, which help the person manage their anxieties, conflicts, and internal drives. According to Feldman, psychic equilibrium is not static, but rather a delicate balancing act that is influenced by the interplay of unconscious processes and external realities. In this sense, psychic equilibrium is a dynamic state, one that requires constant negotiation between the conscious and unconscious, the self and others, and the ideal and the real.
Feldman suggests that individuals strive for a sense of psychic stability that allows them to function in the world, handle relationships, and manage day-to-day challenges. This equilibrium is largely achieved through the operation of psychic defenses, such as repression, denial, projection, and rationalization, which help to shield the individual from overwhelming or unbearable feelings. These defenses create a psychic structure that allows the person to navigate their internal world while maintaining a degree of external functionality.
However, Feldman acknowledges that the psychic equilibrium is not a perfect or permanent state. It is inherently fragile, subject to disruption by internal conflicts, external stressors, or unresolved traumas. In his view, while defenses can provide temporary relief, they may also create long-term issues when used excessively or rigidly, leading to psychic deadlock or neurotic patterns of behavior that prevent true psychological growth and transformation.
Psychic Change: The Pathway to Transformation
The concept of psychic change is at the core of Feldman’s article and plays a central role in the therapeutic process. Psychic change, in psychoanalytic terms, refers to the process of internal transformation whereby the individual moves from a state of psychic equilibrium—maintained by rigid defenses and unconscious conflict—to a more integrated, flexible, and adaptively functioning self.
Feldman builds on Melanie Klein’s ideas regarding psychic reparation and internal object relations, emphasizing that psychic change occurs as the individual comes into greater contact with previously repressed or dissociated parts of the self. This contact can lead to emotional integration, where feelings that were once split off, denied, or projected onto others are acknowledged, processed, and ultimately integrated into the person’s broader self-concept.
Wilfred Bion’s work on thinking and containment is also pivotal in understanding psychic change in Feldman’s framework. Bion’s concept of the container-contained relationship emphasizes how the therapeutic relationship itself can facilitate psychic change. In the context of analysis, the analyst’s mind acts as a container for the patient’s projections and intense emotional experiences, helping to process and make sense of otherwise overwhelming or fragmented feelings. Through this process of containment, the patient can begin to develop the capacity to think about and integrate their emotional states, leading to an internal transformation.
For Feldman, psychic change is not simply a matter of releasing repressed material, but rather involves a deeper shift in the patient’s psychic structure—a move from fragmented or defensive modes of being to a more cohesive and integrated self. This process can be difficult and even painful, as it requires the individual to confront uncomfortable truths about themselves and their internal world. However, psychic change can also lead to a greater sense of self-awareness, emotional resilience, and psychological flexibility.
The Role of the Analyst in Facilitating Psychic Change
Feldman underscores the crucial role of the analyst in facilitating psychic change. The analyst’s capacity to contain, understand, and reflect the patient’s unconscious material provides the necessary environment for change to occur. In psychoanalytic work, the therapeutic relationship becomes the vehicle for both psychic equilibrium and psychic change. The analyst’s understanding and interpretation of the patient’s defenses and unconscious dynamics create a space where the patient can feel safe enough to confront difficult feelings, internal conflicts, and previously repressed aspects of themselves.
One of the most important functions of the analyst, according to Feldman, is the ability to tolerate uncertainty and ambiguity. In order for psychic change to happen, the analyst must be able to bear the emotional tension of the patient’s unconscious material without immediately offering solutions or interpretations. This empathic attunement allows the analyst to stay connected to the patient’s internal world while also serving as a model for emotional containment. The transference relationship, which involves the patient projecting feelings and fantasies onto the analyst, is also central to the process of psychic change, as it allows for the exploration of past relationships and unresolved conflicts in a new and potentially transformative way.
The Impact of Psychic Change on Psychic Equilibrium
Feldman emphasizes that psychic change does not imply the elimination of defenses or psychic equilibrium, but rather a transformation of how the individual relates to their internal world. In other words, the goal of psychic change is not to achieve a perfect, static state of balance, but rather to enable the individual to have greater psychic flexibility in managing their internal conflicts and emotional experiences.
Through the process of change, the individual may come to understand and integrate the underlying forces that once drove their defensive behaviors and neuroses. This process can lead to a shift in psychic equilibrium, where the person is no longer solely dependent on rigid defenses to maintain stability. Instead, they are able to engage with their inner world in a more adaptive and sophisticated manner, leading to more fulfilling relationships, greater self-awareness, and an increased capacity for emotional regulation.
Feldman also highlights that psychic change is not always linear or easily observable. For many individuals, progress is marked by moments of regression or setbacks, as the tension between the need for psychic equilibrium and the desire for psychic change creates a push-pull dynamic. The work of the analyst is to help the patient navigate these moments of regression without falling into despair or stagnation, and to continue facilitating the process of change at a pace that feels safe and manageable.
Conclusion: The Ongoing Dynamic of Psychic Equilibrium and Change
In Psychic Equilibrium and Psychic Change, Michael Feldman provides a thoughtful and nuanced framework for understanding the intricate relationship between internal stability and the process of transformation in the therapeutic process. He acknowledges the fragility of psychic equilibrium and the ongoing nature of psychic change, both of which are central to psychoanalytic theory and practice.
By viewing the psyche as a dynamic, ever-evolving system, Feldman invites psychoanalysts to reflect on how the therapeutic relationship can be utilized to facilitate lasting change in the individual’s internal world. The goal of psychoanalysis, according to Feldman, is not simply to restore psychic equilibrium, but to help the patient achieve a more integrated, flexible, and adaptive psychic structure—one that allows for growth, emotional resilience, and greater self-awareness. The tension between the desire for equilibrium and the need for change is a fundamental aspect of the psychoanalytic journey, and it is through navigating this tension that true psychological transformation occurs.