Monique.s wrote: "It comes from latin patiens, patientis, of pati meaning
souffrir (suffering). Le patient est *celui qui souffre*, the one who
suffers.
The *aura of a psychiatrist* is more an handicap for psychoanalysts as
the psychiatric position is incompatible with the psychoanalytic one."

I agree with the spirit of this - 'the gap between medicine and
psychoanalysis has gone from the obvious to the unbridigable' - said Bion.

I don't like any of the expressions very much, i.e., client, analysand, or
patient.  I listen to and respond to 'people-in-analysis', and I should
add, whole people.  But, I am not a salesman or a lawyer, so I especially
dislike client. Analysand I find cumbersome somehow, so by default, and
with many reservations, patient seems to capture the therapeutic intent
which I certainly do bring to my work.  Also, I find it mildly irksome when
so called 'therapists' say to me in effect, 'you have clients so do I, so
by implication we do the same thing.'   Is there a solution?  No.  I think
the people who come to me can call themselves whatever they want to, and I
tend to adopt their specific usage for that one specific person, no matter
what they choose.  By extension, I don't care what they call me, when on
the couch they can call me 'Joe' for all I care, so long as the process
continues.  What I have actually been called is: 'Dr. Massicotte', 'the
best mommy I ever had', 'you irritating piece of shit', 'Billy Joe', 'MY
analyst', 'guy', and many other things.  And why not if we are interested
in augmenting the freedom to think and feel?


Wm.J.Massicotte Ph.D.
3565 Connaught Ave
Montreal Quebec H4B 1X4
Canada
(514) 484-7676
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