Idealization in relations with patients and students.

Journal title RICERCA PSICOANALITICA
Author/s Joyce Slochower
Publishing Year 2012 Issue 2012/2
Language Italian Pages 26 P. 101-126 File size 655 KB
DOI 10.3280/RPR2012-002007
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This paper examines the dynamics of idealization in analytical couples. Even if this is not a new aspect, not much has been written on the analyst’s contribution to the idealization of the patient or on the tendency to idealize the patient. The very idea that we could be idealized by our patients or that we could idealize them is in contrast with our ideal of ourselves as clinicians. We therefore tend to resist to acknowledge these dynamics. Our failed elaboration of this aspect leads us often to turn idealization into contempt, when it is uncovered or becomes unbearable. I will use some published and novel material to reflect on co-constructed idealizations, as it happened in Masud Khan’s and Harry Guntrip’s treatment by Winniccott. I argue that these dynamics are universal and we need to be aware of them and elaborate them; I do not certainly mean to accuse Winnicott of wrongdoing.

Keywords: Psychoanalytical ideals, idealization, de-idealization, denuial, analytic collusion

Joyce Slochower, L’idealizzazione nel rapporto con pazienti e allievi in "RICERCA PSICOANALITICA" 2/2012, pp 101-126, DOI: 10.3280/RPR2012-002007