The New Dictionary of Kleinian Thought

The New Dictionary of Kleinian Thought provides a comprehensive and wholly accessible exposition of Kleinian ideas. Offering a thorough update of R.D. Hinshelwood's highly acclaimed original, this book draws on the many developments in the field of Kleinian theory and practice since its publication. The book first addresses twelve major themes of Kleinian psychoanalytic thinking in scholarly essays organised both historically and thematically. Themes discussed include: unconscious phantasy, child analysis the paranoid schizoid and depressive positions, the oedipus complex projective identification, symbol formation. Following this, entries are listed alphabetically, allowing the reader to find out about a particular theme - from Karl Abraham to Whole Object - and to delve as lightly or as deeply as needed. As such this book will be essential reading for psychoanalysts, psychotherapists as well as all those with an interest in Kleinian thought.

Table of Contents:
Preface. Acknowledgements. Main Entries. General Entries. Bibliography.

About the Author :

Elizabeth Bott Spillius, whose original background was in anthropology, is a training analyst at the British Institute of Psychoanalysis and a Distinguished Fellow of the British Psychoanalytical Society.

Jane Milton is a Fellow and training analyst at the Institute of Psychoanalysis. She worked as a consultant psychiatrist at the Tavistock Clinic before becoming a full time psychoanalytic practitioner.

Penelope Garvey is a Fellow and training analyst at the Institute of Psychoanalysis who works both in private psychoanalytic practice and as a Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Psychotherapist in Plymouth NHS.

Cyril Couve is a Fellow of the British Psychoanalytical Society and is in full time private practice as a psychoanalyst. He was formerly a senior psychologist at the Tavistock Clinic.

Deborah Steiner is a Fellow of the British Psychoanalytical Society. Qualified in both adult and child and adolescent psychoanalysis she has held senior NHS posts.

"This wonderful new book by Elizabeth Bott Spillius, Jane Milton, Penelope Garvey, Cyril Couve, and Deborah Steiner provides us with a detailed exploration of Kleinian ideas. The book emerges from a framework that emphasizes the systematic refinement of basic concepts, the tie to Freud’s writings, and the adoption and subsequent elaboration of these ideas by other psychoanalytic schools. The New Dictionary of Kleinian Thought is an exemplar of clear thinking and impeccable research that offers the reader — whether a newcomer to the Kleinian model, or someone well schooled in this tradition — not only mere definitions of terminology, but also (and perhaps more important) a comprehensive appreciation of the impressive reach and depth of this line of thinking. ... This is a wonderful resource for those interested in a truly comprehensive explanation of Kleinian ideas, including their incubation, subsequent enhancement, and impact on the psychoanalytic world. The book deserves a special place on the shelves of analysts of all persuasions."- Lawrence J. Brown, The Psychoanalytic Quarterly