(1986). International Review of Psycho-Analysis, 13:250-251 My Kleinian Home: By Nini Herman. London: Quartet Books. 1985. Pp. 146. Review by: Roger Kennedy This book is a vivid account of a psychiatrist's life, told mainly through experience of three therapies—with a Jungian, Freudian and finally a Kleinian analyst, which she found by far the most satisfactory. Before reading the book, I had a number of concerns and questions, many of which remained with me after I had read it. These were to do with the problematic nature of such an autobiography, the description of an analysis by the analysand. For example, although such an account may give valuable insight into what it feels like to be a patient, does it provide anything more substantial, such as insight into the process itself? And, then, how much of the account can the reader simply believe, given how difficult it is to differentiate the real person of the analyst from his phantasy aspects? Is the account itself a piece of acting out, for example, is it designed to show up or over-praise the analyst, and is thus a consequence of an unresolved or unanalysed transfere [This is a summary or excerpt from the full text of the book or article. The full text of the document is available to subscribers.] |
