I find Fairbairn’s theory brimming with treasures of great value in the therapeutic setting. His description of what he finds to be the most foundational structure of the psyche (the schizoid structure) promotes what I feel to be a deep understanding of the emotional truth at the heart of our patients’ personalities. This article does not claim to cover all of Fairbairn’s findings and innovations, but I will try to make some of his ideas accessible – ideas which, I believe, carry exceptional therapeutic significance. I will demonstrate the vitality of his theoretical concepts by means of a detailed clinical illustration.