Women and Psychoanalysis : The Collected Papers of Lucy Holmes

This remarkable collection charts the professional growth of one psychoanalyst from student to seasoned clinician to provide a guidebook for how psychoanalytic theory is conceptualized, created and tested in the analytic session. Specifically, the book traces the development of thinking on the place of women in psychoanalysis and how psychoanalysis has changed how it views and treats women. Using the techniques of qualitative psychoanalytic research, Lucy Holmes presents new theories of female development grounded in drive theory and expands and enriches Freud’s phallocentric ideas about women. Validated by over 30 years of clinical experience with female patients, her work demonstrates how these theories affect women in analysis, in group and in their personal lives. Later papers focus on the process of psychoanalysis itself, using the laboratory of the analytic session to study how talking changes the neurological structure of the brain; to reflect on the concept of "cure" in psychoanalysis; and finally to tackle the tenacity of the repetition compulsion. Exploring topics across women’s lives, such as childbirth, anger, identity, death, humour, leadership and madness, this unique collection of papers is ideal for practicing clinicians and theorists of psychoanalysis. Cover Endorsement page Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Table of Contents Preface Acknowledgments Part I Women Introduction References Chapter 1 The object within: Childbirth as a developmental milestone The groups The paternal image Shifting object representations The case of Naomi Discussion References Chapter 2 The oppression of childbirth References Chapter 3 The internal triangle: New theories of female development Early theories of female development Melanie Klein and modern psychoanalytic theory on women New theories of female development References Chapter 4 Women in group and women’s groups The internal triangle in female development The “feminine” woman in group Groups organized around female developmental milestones A pregnancy group A menopausal group Women in mixed-gender groups References Chapter 5 Hell hath no fury: How women get even Reference Chapter 6 Masculine and feminine: Differentiation and integration Clinical examples Conclusion References Chapter 7 The technique of partial identification: Waking up to the world References Chapter 8 Gender dynamics in group therapy Gender dynamics in group members Gender dynamics in group leaders A group Discussion References Part II Psychoanalysis Introduction References Chapter 9 A single case study of a fascination with death Discussion Conclusions References Chapter 10 Marking the anniversary: Adolescents and the September 11 healing process References Chapter 11 Humor and psychoanalysis References Chapter 12 Leadership and psychoanalysis References Chapter 13 Myth and psychoanalysis References Chapter 14 Becoming an analyst: Learning to live with madness, aggression and the unknown References Chapter 15 Wrestling with destiny Destiny and the repetition compulsion Gaining control over our destinies References Chapter 16 Why talking cures Clinical examples Bridging soma and psyche References Chapter 17 Beyond cure References Chapter 18 Reaching the repetition compulsion References Chapter 19 The analyst in winter References Index "This remarkable collection charts the professional growth of one psychoanalyst from student to seasoned clinician to provide a guidebook for how psychoanalytic theory is conceptualized, created and tested in the analytic session. Specifically, the book traces the development of thinking on the place of women in psychoanalysis and how psychoanalysis has changed how it views and treats women. Using the techniques of qualitative psychoanalytic research, Lucy Holmes presents new theories of female development grounded in drive theory and expands and enriches Freud's phallocentric ideas about women. Validated by over thirty years of clinical experience with female patients, her work demonstrates how these theories affect women in analysis, in group, and in their personal lives. Later papers focus on the process of psychoanalysis itself, using the laboratory of the analytic session to study how talking changes the neurological structure of the brain; to reflect on the concept of "cure" in psychoanalysis; and finally to tackle the tenacity of the repetition compulsion. Exploring topics across women's lives, such as childbirth, anger, identity, death, humour, leadership, and madness, this unique collection of papers is ideal for practicing clinicians and psychoanalysis theorists"-- Provided by publisher