The Unconscious and the Family
The Psychoanalysis of Links and Transpersonal Pathologies
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Taylor & Francis Ltd
Publishing:27th Nov '26
£36.99
This title is due to be published on 27th November, and will be despatched as soon as possible.
This paperback is available in another edition too:
- Hardback£171.99(9781041209867)
The Unconscious and the Family is an exploration of the complex unconscious dynamics that shape family and couple links. Drawing on extensive clinical experience, Anna Maria Nicolò offers profound insights into the psychopathology present in these contexts, illustrating the theoretical framework with compelling case studies of couple conflicts, trauma, and psychotic disorders. Nicolò presents an innovative reinterpretation of psychoanalytic concepts as they apply to family and couple therapy, establishing a theoretical foundation in the first part of the book and detailing practical interventions in the second. The hypothesis of the existence of transpersonal disorders is gaining ground, particularly among couples dealing with violence and psychotic disorders. Special attention is given to diagnostic approaches, interpretation methods, transference dynamics, and the therapeutic use of the metaphor. Essential reading for psychoanalysts, psychotherapists, and mental health professionals working with families and couples, this volume fills a significant gap in the English-language literature on psychoanalytic approaches to family and couple therapy.
"This book is of immense value to contemporary psychoanalysis. In one volume Anna Nicolò provides both an essential guide for those working therapeutically in the complex field of couples and families, and a compelling read for anyone interested in the ongoing development of psychoanalysis. With exceptional intellect and understanding from her many years of clinical work, she demonstrates a truly impressive knowledge of the field of psychoanalysis as a whole. While maintaining her psychoanalytic foundation, she produces undeniable evidence of how psychoanalysis with couples and families challenges our understanding of the nature of the individual unconscious itself – this is a real gift."
Mary Morgan, Fellow, British Psychoanalytic Society, Senior Fellow, Tavistock Relationships, UK
"The Unconscious and the Family by Anna Maria Nicolò is a compelling and timely contribution to contemporary psychoanalysis. With remarkable clarity and depth, Nicolò invites the reader into the complex world of family and couple dynamics, illuminating unconscious links, transgenerational transmission, and the evolving functions of parenthood. The book moves seamlessly between theory and clinical practice, offering insights that resonate with the challenges of our time. It is both intellectually rigorous and clinically inspiring, encouraging us to rethink the nature of psychic life as inherently relational. An essential and engaging work for anyone interested in the psychoanalysis of families and couples."
Elizabeth Palacios, Chair, Couple and Family IPA Committee (COFAP), IPA Training Analyst, GAEP (New Spanish Group) and APM, Spain
"Anna Nicolò's groundbreaking book knits fundamental contributions to psychoanalytic and developmental theory with deep clinical experience with couples and families. Nicolo’s eloquent synthesis opens new horizons on how unconscious factors organize families in health and illness. An instant classic, this book will be critical to the growth of the seasoned clinician, the novice, and to all who plomb the enigmas of couple and families."
David E. Scharff, Former chair, IPA Committee on Couple and Family Psychoanalysis, USA
ISBN: 9781041209454
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
274 pages