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Disappearance and Return: Psychoanalytic Perspectives on the Past

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Disappearance and Return: Psychoanalytic Perspectives on the Past Running Head: DISAPPEARANCE AND RETURN Disappearance and Return: Psychoanalytic Perspectives on the Past by Nathaniel C. Thorn B.S., Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, 2007 M.S., Antioch University New England, 2010 Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Psychology in the Department of Clinical Psychology of Antioch University New England, 2012 Keene, New Hampshire DISAPPEARANCE AND RETURN ii Department of Clinical Psychology DISSERTATION COMMITTEE PAGE The undersigned have examined the dissertation entitled: DISAPPEARANCE AND RETURN: PSYCHOANALYTIC PERSPECTIVES ON THE PAST presented on March 29, 2012 by Nathaniel C. Thorn Candidate for the degree of Doctor of Psychology and hereby certify that it is accepted*. Dissertation Committee Chairperson: Theodore J. Ellenhorn, PhD Dissertation Committee members: Colborn Smith, PhD Robert May, PhD Accepted by the Department of Clinical Psychology Chairperson Kathi A. Borden, PhD on 4/2/12 * Signatures are on file with the Registrar’s Office at Antioch University New England. DISAPPEARANCE AND RETURN iii Acknowledgments I would like to thank Ted, Colby, and Robert for all of their help throughout this process. Each in their own way encouraged me and provided thoughtful reflections and critiques. I am especially grateful for our conversations at the bookmill. I would also like to thank my former philosophy professors, and current friends, Matt Silliman, David J. Johnson, and Paul Nnodim. I thank my entire family, especially my wife (Heidi), my mother and father (Peggy and George), my papa (Bob), and my brother (Mike). All have been constant sources of support, and have helped me greatly. I also thank the Schmidt family, Jim and Debbie, and Kristina and Charles. All have supported me in various ways. DISAPPEARANCE AND RETURN iv Table of Contents Acknowledgments ......................................................................................................................... iii Abstract ......................................................................................................................................... 1 Preface ........................................................................................................................................... 3 Section I ........................................................................................................................................ 6 Generative Returns ........................................................................................................................ 6 Chapter 1: Origins ......................................................................................................................... 7 Psychoanalytic Views on the Psychic Past ....................................................................... 8 Comparing Proustian and Psychoanalytic Views ............................................................. 11 The Search for Clarity and Common Ground ................................................................... 13 Chapter 2: Integrative Returns ...................................................................................................... 17 Wild Strawberries ............................................................................................................. 18 Background ........................................................................................................... 19 A Strange Dream ................................................................................................... 19 A Change in Plans ................................................................................................. 20 A Daydream .......................................................................................................... 22 Discussion ............................................................................................................. 23 Proustian Memory ............................................................................................................. 25 Background ........................................................................................................... 25 Madeleine episode ................................................................................................ 26 Inspiration ............................................................................................................. 28 Discussion ............................................................................................................. 30 The Artist .......................................................................................................................... 31 Choosing an Object ........................................................................................................... 34 Essential Characteristics of Integrative Returns ............................................................... 35 Relaxed Frame of Mind ........................................................................................ 35 Memory with reimmersion in mood and feeling .................................................. 36 Features common to present and past ................................................................... 36 Sensation of familiarity ......................................................................................... 37 Spontaneous feeling .............................................................................................. 37 Self-observation .................................................................................................... 37 Learning or making use of returns ........................................................................ 38 Simple and Complex Selves ............................................................................................. 38 Section II ....................................................................................................................................... 41 Reappraisal of Returns in Psychoanalytic Thought ...................................................................... 41 Chapter 3: A Return to Origins ..................................................................................................... 42 Freud’s Early Trauma Theory ........................................................................................... 42 Deferred Action ................................................................................................................ 45 The Return to Origins ....................................................................................................... 47 Chapter 4: Repetition .................................................................................................................... 50 Remembering and Repeating ............................................................................................ 50 The Compulsion to Repeat ................................................................................................ 53 Repetition in Dreams, Play, and Transference ...................................................... 54 Mastery: From Primary to Secondary Process ...................................................... 56 A New Theory of the Instincts .......................................................................................... 59 DISAPPEARANCE AND RETURN v Concluding Remarks ......................................................................................................... 62 Chapter 5: Paranoid-Schizoid and Depressive Modes of Experiencing ....................................... 66 Background and Theoretical Revisions ............................................................................ 67 The Paranoid-Schizoid Position ........................................................................................ 69 Projective Identification .................................................................................................... 71 The Depressive Position ................................................................................................... 73 Returns .............................................................................................................................. 76 Manic Defense .................................................................................................................. 79 Chapter 6: The Thinking of Bion .................................................................................................. 81 The Growth of Thought .................................................................................................... 81 A Theory of Thinking ........................................................................................... 81 Alpha Function ...................................................................................................... 83 Formation of the Thinking Apparatus ............................................................................... 84 Container ♀ contained ♂ ...................................................................................... 85 Ps ↔ D .................................................................................................................. 88 Learning From Returns ..................................................................................................... 89 Transformations ................................................................................................................ 91 Transformations from O ......................................................................................
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