The elliptical dialogue is a form of analytic clinical interaction and in this context includes both intrapsychic and interpersonal experiences. If you look the word ellipse or elliptical up in a dictionary, you will find that they are grounded in different perspectives, including mathematics, geometry and writing. In all three cases, the word derives from the Greek élleipsis.
I focus on the ellipse as a geometrical form that is eccentric and has two centres – each at one end of a balanced, rounded oval-shaped form. In the Elliptical Dialogue, each centre, each participating individual, has its own internal (intrapsychic) dialogue and is at the same time in dialogue with the other centre. This means that, in the analytical context, three parallel dialogues are taking place at the same time: two ’internal’, coloured red with black points, and one outer or interpersonal, coloured green. All three must be contained within the wholeness of the analytical process, the blue frame.
