No end or return : thematics of impasse : a relational and infancy-based inquiry : a project based upon an independent investigation

This theoretical study explores therapeutic impasse through the dual lens of relational theory and infant research. Particular attention is paid to the role that enactment, rupture and repair, and non-verbal communication play in impasse dynamics. Defined broadly--as any time a therapist and patient feel stuck--impasse is conceptualized as an expectable, even inevitable, component of the treatment relationship. This paper further posits that small moments of impasse hold potential for growth. Finally, the implications for navigating impasse are considered through a clinical vignette