How can clinicians effectively engage with the unformulated experiences and dissociative processes that emerge within the therapeutic relationship? Donnel B. Stern, a prominent figure in relational psychoanalysis, investigates the intersection of interpersonal theory and the clinical management of enactment. He argues that the therapist's own subjectivity is an active component in the process, requiring a shift from traditional neutrality toward a collaborative exploration of unconscious patterns. The text provides a framework for understanding how dissociation functions as a protective mechanism and how the therapeutic dyad can work through these barriers to foster psychological growth.

Experts in the field of relational psychoanalysis frequently cite this work as a foundational text for understanding the complexities of the therapist-patient dyad. Readers often note the high level of clinical sophistication and the density of the prose, which is best suited for experienced practitioners and advanced students of psychology.