How do the analyst's consciously held theoretical commitments intersect with the actual conduct of analysis? Do commitments to notions like "psychic truth" or "analytic neutrality" affect interpretive style, the willingness to acknowledge treatment mistakes, and other pragmatic preferences? Does the commitment to cerain comcepts entail commitment to related ideas and practices to the exclusion of others? This is the uncharted domain that Victoria Hamilton explores in The Analyst's Preconscious. At the heart of her endeavor is an imaginatively conceived empirical investigation revolving around in-depth interviews with 65 leading analysts in the United States and Britain. In these lively and free-ranging discussions, the reader encounter firsthand the thoughtfulness with which practitioners wrestle with the ambiguous relations between various theoretical positions, whether or not their own, and the exigencies of the therapeutic encounter. The result is a uniquely detailed map of contemporary psychoanalysis. Hamilton documents the existence of different analytic cultures, each shaped by a need to maintain inner consistency among fundamental assumptions and also by extratheoretical factors, including geography, collegial experiences, and exposure to particular teachers and supervisors. A major contribution to understanding the pluralism of contemporary psychoanalysis, The Analyst's Preconscious is also a celebration of the dedication and sensitivity with which contemporary analysts seek to organize their therapeutic practices amidst the welter of proliferating concepts and rival schools of thought. Coming at a critical juncture in the history of the field, this work is indispensable to all who care about psychoanalytic culture and psychoanalytic practice, and especially about the analyst's real-world adaptation to the theoretical turbulence of our time.

'Anne Alvarez's work has been extremely influential, and well deserves this volume. Her work is very much "of the moment" and speaks to an openness and exploratory mood that is developing.' - Susan Kegerreis, Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist and tutor on the Psychodynamic Counselling course at Birkbeck College, University of London.

"The contribution of Anne Alverez's work to the understanding of primitive states of mind encountered in the treatment of autistic, borderline, deprived and abused children, is enormous. This collection of papers ... is a fascinating international Festschrift which the editor hopes will 'not only be read by those to whom her work is already familiar, but will enable those interested in this field ...to find ideas to enliven their progress, much in the way tat she herself has enlivened... generations of students'. She has suceeded admirably in this task." - Monica Lanyado in Young Minds Magazine, Vol 63, 2003

How do the analyst's consciously held theoretical commitments intersect with the actual conduct of analysis? Do commitments to notions like "psychic truth" or "analytic neutrality" affect interpretive style, the willingness to acknowledge treatment mistakes, and other pragmatic preferences? Does the commitment to cerain comcepts entail commitment to related ideas and practices to the exclusion of others?

This is the uncharted domain that Victoria Hamilton explores in The Analyst's Preconscious. At the heart of her endeavor is an imaginatively conceived empirical investigation revolving around in-depth interviews with 65 leading analysts in the United States and Britain. In these lively and free-ranging discussions, the reader encounter firsthand the thoughtfulness with which practitioners wrestle with the ambiguous relations between various theoretical positions, whether or not their own, and the exigencies of the therapeutic encounter.

The result is a uniquely detailed map of contemporary psychoanalysis. Hamilton documents the existence of different analytic cultures, each shaped by a need to maintain inner consistency among fundamental assumptions and also by extratheoretical factors, including geography, collegial experiences, and exposure to particular teachers and supervisors.

A major contribution to understanding the pluralism of contemporary psychoanalysis, The Analyst's Preconscious is also a celebration of the dedication and sensitivity with which contemporary analysts seek to organize their therapeutic practices amidst the welter of proliferating concepts and rival schools of thought. Coming at a critical juncture in the history of the field, this work is indispensable to all who care about psychoanalytic culture and psychoanalytic practice, and especially about the analyst's real-world adaptation to the theoretical turbulence of our time.

'Anne Alvarez's work has been extremely influential, and well deserves this volume. Her work is very much "of the moment" and speaks to an openness and exploratory mood that is developing.' - Susan Kegerreis, Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist and tutor on the Psychodynamic Counselling course at Birkbeck College, University of London.

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