Brief Report: Encounter in Buenos Aires

Abstract

In the center of a semicircle of more than 100 therapists, a young woman, head bent down, is sobbing. She is deeply engaged in an imaginary dialogue with her father; reproach, pain, and catharsis mix.
A gray-haired older woman is standing beside the young woman, her arm on the girl's shoulder, directing the scene, programming sequences, making dialogues easier, suggesting inquiries, and allowing affects to emerge. Her inquiry is gentle yet persistent; she stimulates dialogue with imaginary characters, respects the pain, does not hide the joy. Those who are watching the scene feel more like participants than spectators; the story belongs to them and they all want to help the girl.