Absorption as a therapeutic agent

The process of absorption is therapeutically adaptive for patients in a variety of contexts. Absorption is defined as the temporary loss of self through immersion in an object that eventuates in self-enhancement. Patients who become absorbed in animate and/or inanimate objects are better able to cope with a variety of problems and experience a heightened sense of well-being. Absorption is distinguished from symbiosis, mystic experiences and religion. The recognition, validation and employment of absorption in the analytic session is elucidated.