The Modern Kleinian Approach to Psychoanalytic Technique

Book excerpt: The Modern Kleinian Approach to Psychoanalytic Technique: Clinical Illustrations describes how today's practitioner typically treats a number of types of very disturbed and hard-to-reach patients who, while prone to intense acting out and early termination, are in great need of in-depth psychological reorganization. Many cases barely get off the ground due to levels of pathological conflict and destructive phantasy that make self/object connection extremely fragile. However, the modern Kleinian approach makes it possible to establish analytic contact within even the most chaotic situations and create a therapeutic experience that can be significant and meaningful. In doing so, there can be a healing process and the birth of new object relational experiences and interpersonal exchanges. Robert Waska details a more flexible method of practicing psychoanalysis, Analytic Contact, an approach that brings the healing possibilities of psychoanalysis to the more disturbed patients who tend to fill private practice offices. In addition, Analytic Contact enables the clinician to reach populations that are not usually considered easily treatable by the psychoanalytic method, including psychotic patients, couples who are seeking help with marital issues, and chronic borderline and narcissistic individuals.