(Psychoanalysis in a New Key Book Series) 1st Edition
by Steven H. Cooper (Author)
Building
on Winnicott’s theory of play, this book defines the concept of play
from the perspective of clinical practice, elaborating on its
application to clinical problems.
Although
Winnicott’s theory of play constitutes a radical understanding of the
intersubjectivity of therapy, Cooper contends, there remains a need to
explore the significance of play to the enactment of
transference-countertransference. Among several ideas, this book
considers how to help patients as they navigate debilitating internal
object relations, supporting them to engage with "bad objects" in
alternatively playful ways. In addition, throughout the book, Cooper
develops an ethic of play that can support the analyst to find
"ventilated spaces" of their own, whereby they can reflect on
transference-countertransference. Rather than being hindered by the
limits of the therapeutic setting, this book explores how possibilities
for play can develop out of these very constraints, ultimately providing
a fulsome exploration of the concept without eviscerating its magic.
With
a broad theoretical base, and a wide definition of play, this book will
appeal to psychoanalysts and psychoanalytic psychotherapists wanting to
understand how play functions within and can transform their clinical
practice.
