Donald Winnicott, psychoanalyst and pediatrician, is viewed by many in the psychodynamic field as the “other genius” in the history of psychodynamic theory and practice, along with Freud. This book selects and explores twelve of his most infl uential clinical papers. Winnicott’s works have been highly valued in the decades since they were first published, and are still relevant today. Winnicott’s writings on the goals and techniques of psychodynamic psychotherapy have been foundational, in that he recast Freudian- and Kleinian-infl uenced thinking in the direction of the more relational schools of psychotherapy that define current 21st-century psychodynamic practice. Winnicott’s writings help us to understand the maturational processes of children, certainly. But more than that, they help us to understand how best to intervene when the enterprise of childhood leads to compromises of psychological health in later years. Yet, despite Winnicott’s influence and continuing relevance, his writings, while at some level simple, are elusive to modern readers. For one thing, he writes in the psychoanalytic genre of the 1930s-1960s, whose underlying theoretical assumptions and vocabulary are obscure in the present day and, for another, his writing often reflects primary process thinking, which is suggestive, but not declarative. In this work, Teri Quatman provides explanations and insight, in an interlocution with Winnicott’s most significant papers, exploring both his language and concepts, and enabling the clinician to emerge with a deep and reflective understanding of his thoughts, perspectives, and techniques. Engaging and accessible, Accessing the Clinical Genius of Winnicott will be of great use to anyone encountering Winnicott for the first time, particularly in psychodynamic psychotherapeutic training, and in the teaching of relational psychotherapies.

Donald Winnicott, psychoanalyst and pediatrician, is viewed by many in the psychodynamic field as the "other genius" in the history of psychodynamic theory and practice, along with Freud. This book selects and explores twelve of his most infl uential clinical papers. Winnicott's works have been highly valued in the decades since they were first published, and are still relevant today. Winnicott's writings on the goals and techniques of psychodynamic psychotherapy have been foundational, in that he recast Freudian- and Kleinian-infl uenced thinking in the direction of the more relational schools of psychotherapy that define current 21st-century psychodynamic practice. Winnicott's writings help us to understand the maturational processes of children, certainly. But more than that, they help us to understand how best to intervene when the enterprise of childhood leads to compromises of psychological health in later years. Yet, despite Winnicott's influence and continuing relevance, his writings, while at some level simple, are elusive to modern readers. For one thing, he writes in the psychoanalytic genre of the 1930s-1960s, whose underlying theoretical assumptions and vocabulary are obscure in the present day and, for another, his writing often reflects primary process thinking, which is suggestive, but not declarative. In this work, Teri Quatman provides explanations and insight, in an interlocution with Winnicott's most significant papers, exploring both his language and concepts, and enabling the clinician to emerge with a deep and reflective understanding of his thoughts, perspectives, and techniques. Engaging and accessible, Accessing the Clinical Genius of Winnicott will be of great use to anyone encountering Winnicott for the first time, particularly in psychodynamic psychotherapeutic training, and in the teaching of relational psychotherapies.

This book explores the causes behind Trump's victory in the 2016 US presidential election and asks how a psychoanalytic understanding of the social unconscious can help us plot a new direction for the future in US politics and beyond. It first describes the social/psychological threads that are the now of American culture. Seeds of hope are discovered through an in-depth examination of the American idea of excess as represented by Trump, its archetypal figure. Essential psychoanalytic ideas such as, the fundamental human condition of living with both individual and social unconscious, the psychic feminine principal, the notion of psychic valence and more are illustrated as psychic integrations necessary for America to move towards a redemptive positive social change. This book combines feminist exploration with playful illustrative imagery and mythic story—aiming to awaken minds across generations. America’s Psychological Now is key reading for psychoanalysis, psychologists, political theorists, and anyone wishing to understand better how the social and political systems could be changed for the future.

This delightful book presents a selection of D. W. Winnicott's best writing about children. The remarkable, enduring essays from Babies and Their Mothers and Talking to Parents are here combined with several hard-to-find gems of insight into the world of the child. Each piece was written for a wide audience of parents, childcare professionals, and teachers. In his empathic and witty way, Winnicott ranges over such timeless topics as the mother/infant relationship, trust, instilling a sense of security, negativism, jealousy and moral development. Now, in one volume, anyone who cares about children can enjoy the wisdom of a man many consider to be the most important psychoanalyst since Freud.A Merloyd Lawrence Book

In a work of startling originality, Professor Brett Kahr has resurrected Donald Winnicott from the dead and has invited him for a memorable cup of tea at 87 Chester Square – his former London residence – where the two men discuss Winnicott’s life and work in compelling detail. With original drawings by Alison Bechdel, best-selling author and illustrator of Fun Home and Are You My Mother?, this ‘posthumous interview’ will be the perfect guide for students and the ideal present for colleagues.

This bold and witty, yet scholarly biography is the first to trace the full life and work of this highly influential and brilliant pediatrician-turned-analyst. This insightful story probes the roots in Winnicott's personal life of his influential concepts, such as the "holding environment" so crucial to psychotherapy and the "transitional object" known to every parent as the "security blanket." His astonishing career involved many of the great figures in psychoanalysis and psychology, not just Melanie Klein and Anna Freud, but the whole eccentric Bloomsbury scene including the Stracheys, R. D. Laing, and the controversial Pakistani prince and analyst, Masud Khan. For anyone interested not only in psychology and psychoanalysis but also in human nature and the great figures who have explored it, this book will be passionately absorbing.

Essential Psychodynamic Psychotherapy: An Acquired Art provides an essential, accessible grounding in current psychodynamic theory and practice for a wide range of readers. For trainees, it offers a very useful toolset to help them make the transition from purely theoretical training to the uncharted territory of clinical practice. For more seasoned therapists and those seeking to deepen their understanding of psychodynamic therapy, it provides conceptual clarity, and may also serve as a stepping stone to more complex and denser psychoanalytic works written for advanced clinicians. Essential Psychodynamic Psychotherapy: An Acquired Art is an introduction to how to think and work psychodynamically. It is written primarily for those training at a postgraduate level in psychoanalysis and psychodynamic psychotherapy, but reaches well beyond that audience. It is grounded in contemporary psychoanalytic theory, drawing on the work of Winnicott, Bion, and Ogden, all of whom are pivotal in current psychodynamic thought and practice. It also integrates attachment theory and research, and includes fresh contributions from neuropsychological research. The voice of the book is honest and intimate. The tone is practical. It is written with a clear-minded understanding of contemporary psychodynamic theory that allows the new therapist to access the deepest and richest parts of the therapy itself. It translates many of the key theoretical tenets of psychodynamic psychotherapy, giving the reader a clear (but non-formulaic) guide as to how handle the contours of any analytic session; how to open one’s perceptual and emotional apertures as clinician; how to work in and understand "the relationship"; and how to work with the most common intra- and interpersonal problems patients present. This publication will be a valuable guide for new analysts and therapists, and also for those seeking to understand what the world of psychodynamic therapy may hold for them, no matter where they are in their clinical careers. Dr. Teri Quatman is an Associate Professor of Counseling Psychology in the Graduate Department of Counseling Psychology at Santa Clara University. She earned her Ph.D. from Stanford University in 1990, and has studied, practiced, and taught psychodynamic psychotherapy to graduate students for the past 25 years.