19 th International Congress of the ISPI, New York 2015 - Psychodynamic Psychiatry according to the Teoria della nascita: Introduction

Abstract

In his manual Psychodynamic psychiatry in clinical practice (1990), G. O. Gabbard considers psychodynamic psychiatry as a psychiatry based on psychoanalytical principles. This restriction is  idespread but it appears to be in contradiction with the opinions expressed by H. F. Ellenberger in his fundamental book The discovery of the unconscious (1970). Examining authors like Janet, Freud, Jung and Adler, Ellenberger underlines that psychodynamic psychiatry did not start with these authors, nor does he imply the idea that it has found its conclusive structure with them and their respective schools. Apart from this clarification, the Gabbard manual retains the important merit of having extrapolated, from the different schools within the vast psychoanalytic universe, a number of concepts that he considers basic and characteristic of a psychodynamic psychiatry (concepts like “unconscious”, “transference”, “defence mechanism”). This paper starts with some basic concepts listed by Gabbard and compares the psychoanalytic definitions with the often divergent view of these concepts in what is known as Teoria della nascita, elaborated by M. Fagioli (1972). This approach has existed in Italy since the 1960s and stems from therapeutic work with severely ill patients. Due to its theoretical complexity and coherence, it can be considered an independent and time-tested model of psychodynamic psychiatry. The last thirty years have seen the growth of a consistent group of therapists who refer to this approach and who are currently treating thousands of patients, privately or in public services.