Most analysts will experience some degree of crisis in the course of their working life. This paper explores the complex interplay between the analyst's affect during a crisis in her life and the affective dynamics of the patient. The central question is "who or what holds the analyst"-especially in times of crisis. Symbolization of affect, facilitated by the analyst's selfcreated holding environment, is seen as a vital process in order for containment to take place. In the clinical case presented, the analyst's dog was an integral part of the analyst's self-righting through this difficult period; the dog functioned as an "analytic object" within the analysis.
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