XCVIII.

"Breuer was not using the hypnotic method. What he did, he did something what he called "the talking cure". This is something what you occasionally do, or your friends do with you. If something is on your chest, then you call your friend and you say, "I need somebody to talk to". There is some real big trouble in you; you want somebody to listen. Now this is exactly what Breuer did. He did ask his patients to talk to him. And it turned out that this talking cure was very effective, as you've probably all experienced. When something is on your chest and you have a good friend who's willing to listen and does not rush to give you advice — right? — this is whom you want. Just to listen and nod, to be sympathetic, and try to understand you and let you talk, and ask the good questions, but not to give advice. That's what Breuer discovered."

© Iván Szelényi
Yale Lectures on Foundations of Modern Social Thought
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