Contemporary Psychoanalysis, 2016, Vol. 52, No. 4: 578–601. C  William Alanson White Institute of Psychiatry, Psychoanalysis & Psychology and the William Alanson White Psychoanalytic Society ISSN: 0010-7530 print / 2330-9091 online DOI: 10.1080/00107530.2016.1240645 HILIT EREL-BRODSKY, Ph.D. I’M ALL EARS—THOUGHTS ON PSYCHOANALYSIS:THE MUSICAL REVERIE Abstract. In this article I describe one dimension of the reverie phenomenon, which I term the “musical reverie,” whereby the therapist experiences a kind of daydreaming that includes songs with both lyrics and tunes. In early develop- ment, the reverie function permits a transformation of the baby’s unprocessed and unmetabolized materials within the mother’s psyche, so that once they are returned to the infant, it will be possible to contain them in a manner that neither overwhelms nor fragments the child. Likewise, this may operate in psy- choanalytic treatment. This article suggests that the auditory dimension, where lyrics and tunes exist successfully, captures both the symbolic and the presym- bolic, and bridges the two. I further suggest that the music serves the analyst in early, hopeless, and fragmented moments as a companion to reignite the psy- chic movement that has halted in both the patient’s and the analyst’s mind. The therapist’s ability to process beta elements—the unmetabolized (unprocessed af- fective experience)—into alpha elements (thoughts that can be thought by the thinker) will enable the renewed movement and rehabilitation of the mind, even in barren, dead areas. Keywords: reverie, music, movement, symbol, transformation, sonorous bath There is no domain of the spirit in which the regularity of the laws is as transparent as in that of sounds. It is therefore perfectly natural for us to speak of this first of all when we consider the laws of psychic functioning in general. (Lipps, 1883, p. 270) I n the chapter, “The Unknown Self Sings,” from The Haunting Melody, Theodor Reik (1953) describes his feelings in relation to the death of Address correspondence to Hilit Erel-Brodsky, Ph.D, Hanassie 33, Kiryat Ono, Israel 5540103. E-mail: hilitbr@gmail.com 578 Copyrighted Material. For use only by israel318. Reproduction prohibited. Usage subject to PEP terms & conditions (see terms.pep-web.org).