Arguably the most informative and readable account of the development of British independent psychoanalysis, Eric Rayner’s The Independent Mind in British Psychoanalysis offers a coherent account of the core concepts that influence the clinical practice. Covering the main themes and theorists with rigour and clarity, it has rightly found a central place on the reading lists of psychoanalytic and psychotherapy trainings, both in the UK and worldwide. Republished with a new foreword from Maurice Whelan, the book begins with a philosophical and historical background, describing the establishment of the ‘Middle Group’ (later called the Independents) following the controversial discussions between the supporters of Melanie Klein and Anna Freud. The succeeding chapters detail the contributions by Independent psychoanalysts including Fairbairn, Balint, Rickman, Winnicott, Bowlby, and Khan, to themes such as emotions, object relations, sexuality, aggression, perversion, regression, symbolisation, creativity, art, and dreams. Rayner relays the ethos of the Independent psychoanalytic ‘mind’ as tolerant, creative and respectful, with an understanding of the developmental roots of pathology in early relationships and with balanced thinking about the impact of the real environment as well as the internal world on a person’s character. Providing a thorough exploration of the development of thinking within the tradition of the British Independent school of psychoanalysis, this book will be of great interest to psychoanalysts, psychotherapists, counsellors, social workers, students, and even non-clinicians interested in the history of psychoanalysis.

Living Psychoanalysis: From Theory to Experience represents a decade of work from one of today's leading psychoanalysts. Michael Parsons brings to life clinical psychoanalysis and its theoretical foundations, offering new developments in analytic theory and vivid examples of work in the consulting room. The book also explores connections between psychoanalysis, art and literature, showing how psychoanalytic insights can enrich our lives far beyond the clinical situation. Living Psychoanalysis comprises four main sections: Life and Death – asks what it means to be fully and creatively alive, and introduces the concept of avant-coup Sexuality, Narcissism and the Oedipus complex – develops fresh ways of understanding these key concepts How analysts listen – explores links between psychoanalytic listening and the way artists look at the world, and introduces the concept of the internal analytic setting The Independent tradition in British psychoanalysis – considers the theoretical foundations of Independent clinical technique, and discusses from various perspectives the role of training in developing the identity of analysts and analytic therapists With fresh theoretical concepts and a focus on specific aspects of clinical practice, Living Psychoanalysis: From Theory to Experience will be a valuable resource for analysts, therapists and professionals who wish to extend their vision of psychoanalysis. It will also be of great interest to general readers concerned to deepen their understanding of the links between culture and the mind.

This book offers a comparative study of the major schools of psychoanalysis by exploring their historical development, their differences and similarities, and the underlying assumptions made by each. Encompassing the expertise of colleagues from different schools of psychoanalytic thought, each chapter explores a particular perspective, defining specific theoretical assumptions, theories of etiology, and implications for technique, as well as providing each author’s view on the historical development of key psychoanalytic concepts. With contributions from leading authors in the field, and covering both historical and international schools, the book provides an enlightening account that will prove essential to psychoanalytic practitioners and students of psychoanalysis and the history of medicine.

This book traces the various influences on the development of Harry S. Guntrip's thought, including his personal history of family relationships, memberships in various religious organizations, and the weight of his academic professional mentors, both theological and psycoanalytic, Ronald Fairbairn and Donald Winnicott. Guntrip, both a minister and lay therapist, is shown as a fascinating example of the adversarial tension between psychology and theology, commonly known as the battle between science and religion.

The Many Voices of Psychoanalysis spans over thirty years of Roger Kennedy's work as a practicing psychoanalyst, providing a fascinating insight into the process of development of psychoanalytic identity. The introduction puts the papers into context, charting the development of the author’s practice and understanding of psychoanalysis and his position as part of the British Independent tradition. The intention of the chapters is to address the 'many voices' of psychoanalysis - the many roles and approaches a psychoanalyst may take, while adhering to the established ideas of psychoanalysis. The author takes into account the various influences which shape the psychoanalytic voice, drawing on literature, philosophy and sociology as well as analytic ideas. Subjects covered include: aspects of consciousness - one voice or many? handling the dual aspect of the transference bearing the unbearable - working with the abused mind the internal drama - psychoanalysis and the theatre a psychoanalyst in the family court. This book will be of use not only to practicing psychoanalysts, but also to psychoanalytic psychotherapists and other mental health workers. It will also appeal to anyone interested in the relationship between psychoanalysis and related disciplines.

This book is dedicated to Pearl King who is something of an institution in herself within psychoanalysis as well as an important contributor to the development of the institution of psychoanalysis. She is the co-author with Riccardo Steiner of the monumental The Freud-Klein Controversies (1941-1945) detailing the Controversial Discussions of the British Psychoanalytical Society.

Independent Women in British Psychoanalysis celebrates the lives and work of female psychoanalysts whose significant contributions to the Independent Tradition have hitherto been overshadowed by their male counterparts. The contributors in this volume look at seven female psychoanalysts who broke new ground with their contributions to theory and practice: Ella Freemen Sharpe, Marjorie Brierley, Paula Heimann, Marion Milner, Enid Balint, Nina Coltart and Pearl King. The chapters tell the individual stories of these psychoanalysts alongside their theories, showing how their personal lives embody and illustrate the essential universal developmental task of becoming oneself and finding one’s own voice. The themes across the chapters include infant and child development with (m)other, trauma, constructive use of aggression, creativity, a theory of clinical technique, and independence of mind in a social world. This book will be of interest and relevance to psychoanalysts and psychotherapists, developmental psychologists, sociologists, group analysts and historians of psychoanalysis, as well as those interested in feminism and women’s position in society.