In Constructions in Analysis Freud introduces the notion of constructions, different from interpretation, and considers it necessary - under certain conditions - to reconstruct a part of the infantile history of the subject. The difference between construction and reconstruction as well as which should be the limit of the intervention of the analyst in order to avoid a proposal far removed from the patient discourse, are a part of present debates on this subject. The editors, together with the contributors to this volume, accepted the challenge to consider Freudian ideas and its implications nowadays.

In the last several decades, the analytic field has widened considerably in scope. The therapeutic task is now seen by an increasing number of analysts to require that patient and analyst work together to strengthen, or to create, psychic structure that was previously weak, missing, or functionally inoperative. This view, which may apply to all patients, but is especially relevant to the treatment of non-neurotic patients and states of mind, stands in stark contrast to the more traditional assumption that the therapeutic task involves the uncovering of the unconscious dimension of a present pathological compromise formation that holds a potentially healthy ego in thrall. The contrast which this book calls attention to is that which exists roughly between formulations of psychic structure and functioning that were once assumed to have been sufficiently well explained by the hypotheses of Freud's topographic theory and those that were not. The former are modeled on neurosis and dream interpretation, where conflicts between relatively well-defined (saturated) and psychically represented desires were assumed to operate under the aegis of the pleasure-unpleasure principle.

The questions of what psychoanalysis is, and does, and who can and should practice it, remains key within the modern profession. Has the invaluable material packed into Freud’s The Question of Lay Analysis (1926) been underestimated by contemporary psychoanalysis? This book explores how the issues raised in this paper can continue to impact contemporary Freudian theory and practice. The chapters examine why the arguably litigious nature of the paper might be contributing to its neglect and underestimation. The editors of this book put forth a hypothesis: is there an underlying, still unrecognized, but heartrending factor underlying the century-old quarrel between "lay analysts" and what might be described as medically or psychiatrically trained analysts? They then brought together a selection of major contemporary psychoanalytic thinkers from around the world to attempt to bridge the seemingly unbridgeable gap between medical and non-medical analysis, using The Question of Lay Analysis as a central pivot. The work of the key figure, in social and historic terms, on this issue, Theodor Reik, is also duly honoured. On Freud’s "The Question of Lay Analysis" will be of great interest to all psychoanalysts and psychoanalytic psychotherapists.

In On Freud’s “Remembering, Repeating and Working-Through” international contributors from a range of psychoanalytic backgrounds reflect on this key 1914 paper. Each chapter considers an aspect of Freud’s original work, addressing both the theoretical and clinical dimensions of the paper and incorporating contemporary perspectives. Bringing out all three aspects of the paper’s title, the contributors consider the issues raised by the so-called change in psychoanalytic paradigm, from the classic central concern of remembering to a clinical experience which prioritises enactment and repetition. The reflections on this important paper demonstrate how it goes beyond technique to open new vistas on the conception of psychoanalysis as a whole. On Freud’s “Remembering, Repeating and Working-Through” will be essential reading for psychoanalysts and psychoanalytic psychotherapists in practice and in training. It will also be of interest to readers seeking a deeper understanding of current Freudian thinking.

Constructions and the Analytic Field questions the relationship between psychoanalysis, history and literature. Does the analyst help the analysand construct a narrative, or is their task more of a historical reconstruction? In seeking to answer this question, Domenico Chianese examines Freud's writing, beginning with 'Constructions in Analysis' and ending in 'Moses and Monotheism', as well as the impressions of analytic method reflected in contemporary writers such as Thomas Mann, and historical writings from both sides of the Atlantic. Drawing on vivid and persuasive clinical examples, he argues that psychoanalysis creates a 'scenic space' between analysand and analyst, a theatrical space wherein the cast of the patient's interior world enter and exit from the scene. Drawing on the rich Italian psychoanalytic tradition, this original approach to the analytic field will be of interest to psychoanalysts, historians and literary experts.

The prospective reader may well ask about the particular merits of this volume, especially in view of several dozen similar offerings, each with its own excellences, and of the easy availability of symposia, conferences, con ventional reviews, abstract journals, and serial research reports. In spite of such other attractions, it seems to me that these 34 essays are among the most informative and stimulating which are now available in the areas cov ered. The editors have been successful in attracting new articles from many of the most prominent investigators now actively working at research in psychotherapy, who can therefore speak for themselves about what they are doing. Several of the articles have been in the preparatory stage for numerous years. Not only do they represent the vanguard of research, but because of the introduction of relatively new concepts in communication theory in the clinical setting which can be implemented by the new tech nology (specifically the use of sound-films and tape), they probably presage the shape of much that is to come. It is commonplace that the history of a science is closely allied to the history of the tools available. Here we see the concepts, attitudes, and working methods on this frontier being set forth frankly and concretely in ways which avoid many of the deficiencies and evasions of previous clini cal research.

In The Freudian Reading, Lis Moller examines the premises, procedures, and objectives of psychoanalytic reading in order to question the kind of knowledge such readings produce. But above all she questions the role of Freud as master explicator.

The authenticity of memories of childhood sexual abuse has become one of the major social controversies of the 1990's. As persons who report histories of abuse have sought remedies in civil and criminal proceedings in the courts, the accuracy of their memories--particularly when they have been recalled after a period of time--has been subject to intense scrutiny. This volume brings together many of the leading participants in the debate to provide a comprehensive picture of the psychological, physiological, and legal aspects of trauma. Beginning by defining the opposing positions in the debate, the contributors then offer a variety of perspectives on the nature of memory, including reviews of some of the most exciting recent developments in this fast-growing area of investigation. Next, consideration is given to the impact of trauma on memory, both in adults and in children. With this framework in place, the authors turn to an examination of the variety of treatment approaches available to victims of trauma, who are trying to cope with the painful consequences of those events. The book argues against a unidimensional approach to trauma, calling instead for a multidisciplinary synthesis that includes developmental, neurobiological, cognitive, and psychodynamic perspectives. Chapters address the legal dilemmas for patients, mental health professionals and society as a whole that have arisen from the trauma and memory controversy. Most importantly, the editors shift the focus of their discussion from the laboratory to the courtroom and from the research journal to the psychotherapist's office, looking at the issues from every relevant angle. This is the only book in the field to treat the trauma and memory controversy comprehensively, from basic research on memory processes through clinical approaches to legal and policy issues. Trauma and Memory is a valuable tool for clinicians treating patients with traumatic memories. It is also intended for psychologists, physicians, social workers and lawyers who need a comprehensive reference on trauma and sexual abuse during childhood.

This book offers different theoretical approaches about what clinical research is. Clinical Research in Psychoanalysis is a unique contribution to the attempts to bridge the gap between clinicians and researchers and to create a culture of a more rigorous and systematic inquiry. It provides an innovative experience because for the first time different methods and perspectives were used to analyse one same clinical material. This was done by analysts from different working parties of the International Psychoanalytical Association (IPA), from a range of different schools of psychoanalytic thought. This allows the reader to have a vision of the different methods that are currently being used by some working parties of the IPA and to learn about the strengths of each one for certain situations and types of research. This book revaluates clinical research, intending to make links between the analysts working through the working parties and the different ways of thinking in clinical research. By covering key topics, such as how working parties can facilitate different types of research; the place of metaphor in psychoanalytic research and practice; and the future for psychoanalytic research, this text is a fruitful dialogue between different theoretical conceptions and between clinicians and researchers, that will expand our perspectives on the evidence we find in clinical material and will broaden our views on the patient. This book offers a unique and invaluable experience to psychologists and psychoanalysts who are trying to improve their clinical practice and bring research evidence into their psychoanalytic practice. It is an invaluable contribution to psychoanalytic training of candidates, teachers, and students.

First published in 2009. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.