Intersubjective Processes and the Unconscious ─ An Integration of Freudian, Kleinian and Bionian Perspectives

Intersubjective Processes and the Unconscious looks at how the minds of the therapist and the patient interact with each other in a profound and unconscious way: a concept first described by Freud.
This book expands Freud’s ideas further and examines how these have been greatly elaborated by contributions from the Kleinian School as well as from the work of Bion. It explores how, together, patient and therapist co-create a narrative through these unconscious intersubjective processes. Topics of discussion include:


the unconscious dimensions of intersubjective processes
an historical overview of Freudian, Kleinian and Bionian contributions
an integrated theory of the nature of unconscious intersubjective processes
the central importance of dreaming in intersubjective processes
the clinical implications of this intersubjective model

The author offers in-depth clinical examples and case vignettes to illustrate the application of these principles when working with trauma, countertransference dreams and supervision. As such, this book will be invaluable to all psychoanalysts and psychotherapists interested in the topic of intersubjectivity as well as those who want to learn more about the interactional dimensions of Freud, Klein and Bion.

Lawrence J. Brown is a graduate of the Boston Psychoanalytic Institute (BPSI) in both Child and Adult psychoanalysis. He is on the faculty of BPSI as well as the Massachusetts Institute for Psychoanalysis and also a Clinical Instructor in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He has been on the North American Editorial Board of the International Journal of Psychoanalysis and is currently on the Editorial Board of the Psychoanalytic Inquiry. He was also Co-chair of the Bion in Boston 2009 international conference.

Introduction. The Analyzing Instrument: Unconscious Communication and Classical Psychoanalysis. Klein, Bion and Intersubjectivity: Becoming, Transforming and Dreaming. The Ego Psychology of Wilfred Bion: Implications for an Intersubjective View of Psychic Structure. Intersubjectivity and Unconscious Process: An Integrated Model. Intersubjectivity and the Internalized Oedipal Couple. Julie’s Museum: The Evolution of Thinking, Dreaming and Historicization in the Treatment of Traumatized Patients. The Triadic Intersubjective Matrix in Supervision. On Dreaming One’s Patient: Reflections on an Aspect of Countertransference Dream. Conclusions and Reflections: Dreaming the Future. References.