He believed that personality does not exist without interpersonal relations. Healthy development of personality requires the ability to establish intimacy with people. Preadolescence is the most important period because intimate relationships are possible without the added complication of lust Achievement of psychological health comes with the ability to have both intimate and lustful relationship with another person. Sullivan defined tension as potentiality for action that may or may not be experienced in awareness.
Intimacy refers to tender feelings one person has for an equal.
Intimacy involves a close relationship between two persons who must react to each other in the give and take of close collaboration. Bad-Mother, Good Mother 2. Ironically, his own relationships were not good. Sullivan never married and had a close relationship that might have been homosexual regardless of the exact nature of the relationship it likely contributed to the importance Harry placed on intimacy.