Brings together leading analysts to explain what psychoanalysis is and how it has developed, setting its ideas in their appropriate social and intellectual context. Based on lectures given at the British Psychoanalytic Society, the contributions capture the diversity of opinion among analysts to provide a presentation of concepts.

This overview of the wide variety of psychoanalytic ideas that are current in Britain today will appeal to all those training and practicing in psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic psychotherapy, as well as those wishing to broaden their knowledge of this field.

Part 1. The mind and psychic pain. Catia Galatariotou, The defences. Betty Joseph, The paranoid-schizoid position. Priscilla Roth, The depressive position. Kate Barrows, 'Can this be pity?' - envy, guilt and projective identification. Part 2. Symbolisation. Jennifer Johns, The facilitating environment. Giovanna Di Ceglie, Symbol formation and the construction of the Inner World. Susan Budd, Recent developments in the theory of dreams. Part 3. Sexuality and the formation of identity. M. Egle Laufer, Gender identity and reality. Dana Birksted-Breen, The Feminine. Michael Feldman, The Oedipus complex I. Gregorio Kohon, The Oedipus complex II. Part 4. Patient and analyst interaction. Margret Tonnesmann, Transference and countertransference: an historical approach. Priscilla Roth, Projective identification. David Riley, Two approaches to interpretation and the relationship between them. Part 5 Extreme psychic states. Don Campbell, Perversion: sadism and survival. Caroline Garland, Trauma and the possibility of recovery.