A Word is Worth a Thousand Words

Heiman and Carmeli encourage us to listen to spoken words with an openness to meanings of many kinds – semantic, affective, relational, developmental, pre-conscious, unconscious. Listening in this way, aided by an expanded understanding of language, enhances our attention to many kinds of reverberations in ourselves, including confusion and discomfort and surprise. These reverberations signal important therapeutic opportunities. I focus on three related themes that infuse Heiman and Carmeli’s theorizing, themes that are sometimes overlooked in psychoanalytic discussions of language and yet are crucial for understanding the therapeutic action of speech. First, spoken words are inherently relational and personal, which is why speech can be therapeutic. Second, words facilitate a new coming into being, as well as reflecting or manifesting that new way of being. Third, imagination is crucial for bridging the inevitable gaps between your meanings and mine. This work helps us see our everyday clinical experiences with new eyes.