Theoretical and Clinical Aspects: An Overview

If, out of the blue, someone offered to explain the unconscious to me by using an analogy to mathematical set theory, I think I would run as fast as possible in the other direction. So why are we taking seriously the work of a man who uses the logic of mathematical set theory to explain and illuminate the unconscious? Having been introduced to the work of Matte-Blanco, not out of the blue, but through a study group organized by an esteemed colleague, Dr. Itamar Yahalom, I have had time and help in becoming familiar with the considerable value of Matte-Blanco's thinking. We hope to introduce his ideas to you, to excite your interest and curiosity, and to demonstrate his clinical relevance. Matte-Blanco's application to the unconscious of the concepts of symmetry and asymmetry has been especially useful, for example, in understanding the role of the mother's body in the mind of individuals with primitive personality characteristics.

Let me tell you briefly about one patient's experience which we'll return to later. Mary spends an afternoon buying a new outfit for an exciting benefit dinner party in an elegant hotel. She and her lover are picked up by friends who have a new car. Mary is feeling very good about herself, her lover, and is looking forward to their special evening. After arriving at the hotel, Mary finds that instead of small intimate tables, she and her group are seated at long narrow crowded tables with strangers and she feels very insignificant. Her lover wants to dance and Mary hates the tiny dance floor where people are bumping into her. She feels