Description
Book SynopsisThis latest book in the Psychoanalysis and Women series includes writings from practising psychoanalysts mainly from Italy and Europe. They take a wide sweep in exploring many aspects of women's creativity with an emphasis throughout the chapters on the contribution of dreaming to creativity. It takes as its starting point creativity in clinical work in the consulting room, and puts forward new perspectives on psychoanalytic theory. The focus then turns to creativity in the life cycle, particularly when there are delays and difficulties in becoming pregnant, as well as the everyday creativity in overcoming obstacles to intimacy and coupling and being able to allow the female body in particular to be receptive to growing and nurturing an infant human being. It turns next to aspects of female creativity in the arts in the broadest sense, discussing artworks and sculpture, film and literature. Lastly, it considers aspects of creative living in society, the large, small and unseen creativity in culture, society and the structures that we live with. This book is dedicated to the memory of Mariam Alizade, who, as the second Chair of the International Psychoanalytical Association's Committee on Women and Psychoanalysis (COWAP), lived with such creativity.
Trade Review'The title tells the truth: there is so much creativity in this book, which is not at all academic and which deals with a number of moving topics. More than about women, it speaks about our world, contemporary life and many stories seen from a woman's perspective. Nevertheless, there is no doubt that this is a scientific book, based on that amazing human science that is psychoanalysis. Faced with this blossoming of female creativity, it is only natural to refl ect on how much women psychoanalysts still have to contribute in the future to the advancement of our understanding of mental life, both in individuals and in society as a whole.'- Stefano Bolognini, President of the International Psychoanalytical Association'Feminine creativity - both psychic and biological - has for a long time remained a closely guarded secret despite the efforts that female analysts have made to cast light on the prevailing darkness. This bold and beautiful book about female creativity is delivered by Laura Tognoli Pasquali and Frances Thomson-Salo as tender midwives. The labour has been induced by both men and women - their feminine and masculine elements together contributing to the birth of the book.'- Elina Reenkola, training analyst of the Finnish Psychoanalytic Society, past European co-chair of COWAP, and author of The Veiled Female Core
Table of ContentsIntroduction -- Creativity in Psychoanalytic Theory -- Creativity and authenticity -- Discussion of “Creativity and authenticity” by Irma Brenman Pick -- Listening, technique, and all that jazz -- William, did you say, “Much Ado about Nothing”? -- Discussion of “William, did you say: ‘Much Ado about Nothing’?” by Juan Eduardo Tesone -- Female elements and functions in creativity -- Women and creativity -- Creativity in Psychoanalytic Practice throughout the Life Cycle -- When creativity restarts: distorted and adaptive forms -- A little girl’s analysis -- A psychoanalyst in the labour room: the birth of emotions -- Generativity and creativity: dialogue between an obstetrician and a psychoanalyst -- Dreaming about pregnancy when it is not there: two clinical cases -- A particular kind of sterility -- Discussion of “A particular kind of sterility” by Jones de Luca -- “With you I can bleat my heart out”*—older women in psychoanalytic practice -- Creativity in the Arts and Literature -- Using contents from a sewing box: some aspects of the artwork of Sonia Delaunay and Louise Bourgeois -- Commentary on Brodeuses -- The voice of the mother in To the Lighthouse -- Living Creatively in Society -- Happily ever after: depictions of coming of age in fairy tales -- Cultural altruism and masochism in women in the East -- Horses and other animals: some background obstacles to female creativity in Russia -- Is healing possible for women survivors of domestic violence? -- No peaceable woman: creativity in feminist political psychoanalysis—commemorating Margarete Mitscherlich-Nielsen (17.7.1917–12.6.2012) -- Should we as psychoanalysts apologise to women? -- Maria Pia Conte -- Laura Tognoli Pasquali -- Afterword
