The Place of the Visual in Psychoanalytic Practice ― Image in the Countertransference

The Place of the Visual in Psychoanalytic Practice: Image in the Countertransference explores the place of the visual image in psychoanalysis and psychotherapy, a still relatively unexplored topic in the psychoanalytic literature. Though ‘talking therapies’ are necessarily structured around the use of the spoken word, it can be difficult and at times misleading to explore the unconscious through speech alone.

This book examines how it may be further understood through recognising the presence of imagery as a form of non-verbal, but valuable, means of communication. Drawing on the work of Freud, Bion, Winnicott and Ogden, alongside other British and American contributions to this infrequently addressed subject, the book examines the connection between reverie, dream and daydream and explores the reservoirs of imagery of both client and therapist, focusing mainly on the therapists' s visual countertransference.

Covering essential theory and a wealth of clinical material, The Place of the Visual in Psychoanalytic Practice: Image in the Countertransference is a rich yet accessible guide to both recognising and using visual imagery within the clinical setting for both psychoanalysts and psychotherapists.

Faye Carey is a psychoanalytic psychotherapist in private practice in London, UK, and Chair of Training for the London Centre for Psychotherapy.