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According to the dust jacket Herbert Rosenfeld died just before this book could be published. He had been in private practice in London for many years. Rosenfeld was steeped in the psychoanalytic tradition of Melanie Klein, but he also credits Sylvia Payne and others of the same ilk for his background of analytic thinking.
Having been trained in the '50s in Chicago, I must admit to a paucity of information about Klein and her significant others. I was informed and interested by reading through this book, especially the extensive case presentations. I also found helpful the chapter footnotes that were often longer than the chapter.
Two major differences appear between Rosenfeld's thinking and that of most American psychoanalysts: (1) the focus is on therapy of psychotic patients the likes of which most of us rarely see outside of our teaching rounds at public hospitals; and (2) the structure of the thinking about such patients and the analysts who treat them intensively is based on Klein's theories. Both aspects are presented clearly and await the reader's judgment.
The first section addresses the issue of interpretations given in the course of intensive (five or six times per week) psychoanalysis of psychotic but willing patients. One major thrust of this section is on interpretations that produce impasse in the treatment process. Rosenfeld gives hope to some of us by saying this need not happen “if the analyst's whole attitude, behavior and way of communicating convey to the patient acceptance and understanding.” Part 1 also introduces a rather unique system of reporting clinical material. The therapist's notes are printed in italics. These notes are then interspersed with comments Rosenfeld made in a seminar with the actual therapists. These comments are in bold type.
Part 2 begins in earnest the exploration of the analyst's mind and emotions while so deeply involved with psychotic patients. Rosenfeld is quite adept at identifying countertransference and at illustrati