Thinking through Fairbairn offers parallel perspectives on Fairbairn's work. It explores an extended interpretation of his 'psychology of dynamic structure' and applies that model to a number of different areas. Fairbairn's Scottish origins are explored through his relationship with the work of Ian Suttie and Edward Glover. A new extended object relations model of phantasy and inner reality that reflects Fairbairn's approach as represented by his contribution to the Controversial Discussions is also developed. In cooperation with Paul Finnegan, this version of Fairbairn's model is applied to an understanding of multiple personality disorder or dissociative identity disorder. This model is combined with Fairbairn's theory of art to provide an understanding of some 'puzzle' films based in trauma and dissociation. Fairbairn's theory is presented here as a synthesis of classical and relational approaches, and his appropriation by relational theorists as a precursor to exclusively relational approaches challenged.
Thinking through Fairbairn offers parallel perspectives on Fairbairn's work. It explores an extended interpretation of his "psychology of dynamic structure" and applies that model to a number of different areas. Fairbairn's Scottish origins are explored through his relationship with the work of Ian Suttie and Edward Glover. A new extended object relations model of fantasy and inner reality that reflects Fairbairn's approach as represented by his contribution to the Controversial Discussions is also developed. In cooperation with Paul Finnegan, this version of Fairbairn's model is applied to an understanding of multiple personality disorder or dissociative identity disorder. This model is combined with Fairbairn's theory of art to provide an understanding of some "puzzle" films based in trauma and dissociation. Fairbairn's theory is presented here as a synthesis of classical and relational approaches, and his appropriation by relational theorists as a precursor to exclusively relational approaches challenged. The deep structure of Fairbairn's object relations model is developed through a detailed comparison with Glover's ego-nuclei model. Fairbairn's nuanced view of instinct and affect is investigated and some parallels with neuropsychoanalysis developed. Finally some ways that the developed model might be further enhanced to become a general model are suggested.
W. R. D. Fairbairn (1889-1964) challenged the dominance of Freud's drive theory with a psychoanalytic theory based on the internalization of human relationships. Fairbairn assumed that the unconscious develops in childhood and contains dissociated memories of parental neglect, insensitivity, and outright abuse that are impossible the children to tolerate consciously. In Fairbairn's model, these dissociated memories protect developing children from recognizing how badly they are being treated and allow them to remain attached even to physically abusive parents. Attachment is paramount in Fairbairn's model, as he recognized that children are absolutely and unconditionally dependent on their parents. Kidnapped children who remain attached to their abusive captors despite opportunities to escape illustrate this intense dependency, even into adolescence. At the heart of Fairbairn's model is a structural theory that organizes actual relational events into three self-and-object pairs: one conscious pair (the central ego, which relates exclusively to the ideal object in the external world) and two mostly unconscious pairs (the child's antilibidinal ego, which relates exclusively to the rejecting parts of the object, and the child's libidinal ego, which relates exclusively to the exciting parts of the object). The two dissociated self-and-object pairs remain in the unconscious but can emerge and suddenly take over the individual's central ego. When they emerge, the "other" is misperceived as either an exciting or a rejecting object, thus turning these internal structures into a source of transferences and reenactments. Fairbairn's central defense mechanism, splitting, is the fast shift from central ego dominance to either the libidinal ego or the antilibidinal ego-a near perfect model of the borderline personality disorder. In this book, David Celani reviews Fairbairn's five foundational papers and outlines their application in the clinical setting. He discusses the four unconscious structures and offers the clinician concrete suggestions on how to recognize and respond to them effectively in the heat of the clinical interview. Incorporating decades of experience into his analysis, Celani emphasizes the internalization of the therapist as a new "good" object and devotes entire sections to the treatment of histrionic, obsessive, and borderline personality disorders.
W. R. D. Fairbairn was both a precursor and an architect of revolutionary change in psychoanalysis. Through a handful of tightly reasoned papers written in the 1940s and 1950s, Fairbairn emerged as an incisive, albeit relatively obscure, voice in the wilderness, at considerable remove from mainstream Freudian and Kleinian psychoanalysis. But in the 1970s Harry Guntrip made Fairbairn's thinking more accessible to a wide readership, and Fairbairn's object relations theory, with its innovative theoretical and clinical concepts, was at the center of the turn toward relational thinking that swept psychoanalysis in the 1980s and 1990s. Fairbairn, Then and Now is a landmark volume, because a thorough grasp of Fairbairn's contribution is crucial to any understanding of what is taking place within psychoanalysis today. And Fairbairn's work remains a treasure trove of rich insights into the problems and issues in theory and clinical practice with which analysts and therapists are struggling today. This is a particularly propitious time for renewed focus on Fairbairn's contribution. A wealth of previously unpublished material has recently emerged, and the implications of Fairbairn's ideas for current developments in trauma, dissociation, infant research, self theory, field theory, and couple and family therapy are becoming increasingly clear. The conference that stimulated the contributions to this volume by internationally eminent Fairbairn clinicians and scholars was a historically important event, and Fairbairn, Then and Now makes the intellectual ferment generated by this event available to all interested readers.
What does it mean to be human? Object relations, the British- based development of classic Freudian psychoanalytic theory, is based on the belief that the human being is essentially social; the need for relationship is central to the definition of the self. Object relations theory forms the base of psychoanalysts' work, including Melanie Klein, D. W. Winnicott, W. R. D. Fairbairn, Michael Balint, H.J.S. Guntrip, and John Bowlby. Lavinia Gomez here provides an introduction to the main theories and applications of object relations. Through its detailed focus on internal and interpersonal unconscious processes, object relations can help psychotherapists, counselors and others in social service professions to understand and work with people who may otherwise seem irrational, unpredictable and baffling.
What can the early church contribute to theology today? Donald Fairbairn takes us back to the biblical roots and central convictions of the early church, showing us what we have tended to overlook, especially in our understanding of God as Trinity, the person of Christ and the nature of our salvation as sharing in the Son's relationship to the Father.
In this book international contributors re-examine Fairbairn and Sutherlands' concepts in the light of current clinical experience, illuminate their concepts with contemporary psychoanalytic theories, and apply them in psychotherapy.
Fairbairn takes a fresh look at suicidal self-harm and reaches many novel conclusions about the current language and ethics of suicide and contributing greatly to the development of understanding in this sensitive area.
This book, by the man who taught them, shows how the British Commandos fought in the Second World War in unarmed hand-to hand combat. It shows how they won their fights - even against enemies who were bigger, stronger, and armed. Brute strength is not required. This book shows you how to put a thug out of action with your bare hands, so fast he won't know what's hit him. Get Tough is filled with clear, graphic line drawings which, with the easy-to-follow directions, demonstrate the Fairbairn System. The author, Major W. E. Fairbairn, was a tough Police officer who spent 30 years with the Shanghai Municipal Police, where he learned ju-jitsu (Judo), Chinese boxing and other martial arts. He was senior instructor to British Special Forces during the war, and was the co-inventor of the legendary Sykes-Fairbairn Commando knife. While in China he became the first foreigner, living outside Japan, ever admitted to Kodokan Jiu-Jutsu University in Tokyo where he was awarded the black belt, second degree. Combining all the knowledge thus acquired he developed a system that stopped the Shanghai terrorists in their tracks, demoralized the Nazis, and probably proved a decisive factor in the success of Allied Special forces in World War Two. This is a must book for the armed forces, civilian defense groups, police, security guards, and indeed anyone whose life may be threatened.The method of hand-to-hand fighting described in this book is the approved standard instruction for all members of His Majesty's forces. The Commandos, and parachute troops, harrying the invasion coasts of Europe, have been thoroughlytrained in its use. Britain's two-million Home Guard are daily being instructed in its simple but terrible effectiveness. The units of the United States Marine Corps who were stationed in China between 1927 and 1940 learned these methods at my own hands when I was Assistant Commissioner of the Shanghai Municipal Police.There will be some who will be shocked by the methods advocated here. To them I say "In war you cannot afford the luxury of squeamishness. Either you kill or capture, or you will be captured or killed. We've got to be tough to win, and we've got to be ruthless - tougher and more ruthless than our enemies."
