"Analysts keep having to pick away at the scab that the patient tries to form between himself and the analyst to cover over his wounds. The analyst keeps the surface raw, so that the wound will heal properly"

This quote by Janet Malcolm is describing the procedure of psychoanalytic treatment. The patient is attempting to form a barrier in between themselves and the analyst, in order to conceal their emotional wounds. The analyst, nevertheless, need to keep the injury open and raw in order to enable it to recover effectively. This is a metaphor for the process of psychoanalytic treatment, in which the client needs to challenge their psychological injuries in order to recover them. The analyst must keep the injury open and raw, so that the patient can challenge their issues and work through them. This quote is a tip that the procedure of recovery is typically hard and uneasy, however it is necessary in order to attain psychological health.