Illusions and Disillusions of Psychoanalytic Work

Synopsis:

Illusions and Disillusions of Psychoanalytic Work recounts and explores the disappointing and sometimes tragic evolutions of the treatments of certain patients who are resistant to the effects of analytic work. In this book Andre Green reports cases taken from his own experience and that of his collaborators. He points out moreover, that such cases have never been absent from the series of analysands that he has treated, from the early days of his practice up until today, without minimizing his counter-transference reactions or their possible impact on these disappointing evolutions.

Description:

'André Green's lucidity . combined with his rigorous approach, underlies the elaboration of this book as well as that of his work in general, but it does not lead him to radical pessimism. On the contrary, it opens out on to a note of hope, for, after giving a lucid account of these disappointing and sometimes tragic evolutions, the author seeks to account for their causes. This also attests to the depth of his psychoanalytic and human commitment to these difficult patients, a commitment that he does not regret in spite of these evolutions of which he has "recollections of disappointing experiences,
but not bad memories".'
- Christine Delourmel, from the Preface

Notes about the author(s):

André Green is a psychoanalyst who lives and works in Paris. He is Past-President of the Paris Psycho-Analytical Society and was Vice-President of the International Psychoanalytic Association. He has been co-editor of the Nouvelle Revue de Psychanalyse. He has also written numerous books, including On Private Madness, The Work of the Negative, The Fabric of Affect in the Psychoanalytical Discourse, The Chains of Eros, Life Narcissism. Death Narcissism and Key Ideas for a Contemporary Psychoanalysis.