Resistance and modes of communication

The recognition that there are three modes of thinking and communicating--iconic, enactive, and symbolic--clarifies and simplifies many issues in psychoanalytic theory and technique. Although this concept is applicable to all communication, it is particularly important in understanding and interpreting various types of resistance. The author uses a number of vignettes to illustrate the forms and functions of various types of nonverbal communication within the psychoanalytic process.