This collection of contemporary clinically-oriented papers covers a range of theoretical approaches to the fundamentally important technical issue of interpretation. It offers thought-provoking, cross-cultural clinical perspectives about interpretation with illustrations from cutting edge clinical practice with couples and families.
Divided into three sections, the first part of the book examines interpretation within the broader field of psychoanalysis, and notes how it has been applied to couple and family psychoanalysis. Part II considers the current use of interpretation with couples, including how it informs assessment, while Part III focuses on its application with families and considers a broad range of key topics, including the nature of family, social and intergenerational links, the arrival of a newborn, same sex couples’ families, bereavement in a family, and families with adolescent children. Each chapter includes a lively discussion piece.
Interpretation in Couple and Family Psychoanalysis: Cross-Cultural Perspectives represents a major contribution to the field of couple and family psychoanalysis. It reflects the fruits of an unparalleled era of global collaboration and the resultant re-shaping of approaches to clinical practice with couples and families. Mental health professionals dealing with couples and families will find it to have immediate relevance to their clinical work, either in their institutional or private practice.
Author(s): Timothy Keogh (editor), Elizabeth Palacios (editor)
Series: The Library of Couple and Family Psychoanalysis
Publisher: Routledge
Year: 2019
Language: English
Pages: 258
Cover
Praise
Half Title
Series Page
Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements
About the editors and contributors
Series editor’s foreword
Editors’ preface
PART I: Introduction
Chapter 1: Approaches to interpretation with couples and families
Introduction
European perspective
British perspective
North American perspective
South American perspective
Australasian perspective
PART II: Interpretation in couple psychoanalysis
Chapter 2: Complex and creative: the field of couple interpretation
Introduction
The nature of interpretation
What is a couple interpretation?
A couple interpretation: Ann and Bill
Interpretations involving the therapist, either partner, and the couple
An observing partner taking a third position on
the relationship: Carly and James
Using the transference and countertransference between one partner and the therapist to understand the dynamic between the couple:
Donna and Johnny
Interpretation bringing together transferences
to the therapist and transference between
the couple: Will and Tamar
Interpretation from the therapist’s countertransference to the couple: Lois and Walt
The transference in the couple’s relationship:
Jimmy and Dale
Interpreting the projective system
Kath and Christine
Interpreting unconscious phantasy, fantasy, unconscious beliefs
Interpretation of symbols and dreams
Clinical example: Charlie and Erica
Some things that can go wrong with interpretations
Conclusion
References
Note
Chapter 3: The role of interpretation in the assessment phase of couple psychoanalysis
Introduction
The couple
Discussion
References
Note
Chapter 4: Demand analysis: the treatment of a couple
Introduction
Conclusions
References
Chapter 5: Therapeutic intervention in psychoanalytical clinical work with couples
Introduction
References
PART III: Interpretation in family psychoanalysis
Chapter 6: Interpretation in family analysis
Introduction
Clinical vignette 1
Clinical case
Comment
Conclusion
References
Note
Chapter 7: Links to the past and to wider social issues in a family assessment
Introduction
Clinical case material
The social link
Intergenerational transmission of attachment:
Mr Wall
Mrs Wall’s family
Attachment relationships
Conclusions
References
Chapter 8: Interpretation and family psychoanalysis
Introduction
Background to the clinical case
Initial session with the family
Session two: Several months afterwards
Conclusions
Reference
Note
Chapter 9: Crossroads in contemporary family clinical practice
Introduction
Clinical case
Beginning of the treatment
Session three months after starting the treatment and before Easter holiday
Conclusion
References
Chapter 10: Fighting the darkness: a family in mourning
Introduction
Family case material
Background information
Parent intake session
First family session
Three months later
Conclusions
References
Chapter 11: The mess monster: family therapy in the context of the arrival of a newborn brother
Introduction
Case material
First family visit
The therapy process
Discussion
Conclusion
References
Note
Chapter 12: The mystery, the turbulence and the passion of infantile phantasy in the couple: whose pain is it – a shared internal world of unmourned objects
Introduction
The aesthetic – a paradigmatic shift
Meltzer and couple psychoanalysis
Clinical example
Discussion
Conclusion
Acknowledgement
References
Chapter 13: Reflections on interpretation in contemporary clinical practice with family and couple links
Introduction
Paradigmatic shift
Interpretation
Further considerations regarding the
interpretation
Conclusion
References
Epilogue
Index
