Analyst's Reveries

Fred Busch is a Training and Supervising Analyst at the Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute, USA. He is the author of Creating a Psychoanalytic Mind (Routledge, 2013).

• 1 The Beginning 2 Three Definitions 3 Bion’s Definition of Reverie: A Brief Review 4 Was Bion a Bionian? 5 Three Post-Bionians 6. Further Conceptual Problems in the Use of Reverie 7 Questions About Reverie as Co-Constructed 8 Conceptualizing an Enigma

"This is a seminal book that should become a must-read at Psychoanalytic Institutes across the globe for those who consider reverie to be a central concept in contemporary psychoanalysis. The concept of reverie is complex and hard to grasp, but Fred Busch is a clear and didactic writer and his cross-cultural knowledge of diverse psychoanalytic traditions make him a truly international scholar and an ideal surveyor of modern approaches to reverie."-Elias M da Rocha Barros, São Paulo Psychoanalytical Society and fellow of the British Psychoanalytical Society"What happens when a psychoanalyst from one theoretical perspective is trying to immerse himself and discuss a concept from another tradition? Does this work? Can it be constructive?" Fred Busch wonders about this, and I think his new book is the perfect answer: a masterly combination of scientific curiosity, sharp investigation of the many versions and nuances of a concept, respectful but open and frank confrontation with other’s ideas and capacity for suspension during his journey through a multifaceted and still partially unclear area. Isn’t this what we mean as an authentic psychoanalytic attitude? A great book, both for its contents and its method."-Stefano Bolognini, IPA Past-President"In this rich and provocative new book, Fred Busch, one of the most influential and creative writers in psychoanalysis today, once again demonstrates his discerning mind, modesty of style, and refreshing ability to communicate across psychoanalytic schools and cultures with considerable depth and scholarly insight. In addressing the heretofore perplexing topic of the analyst’s reveries, Busch deconstructs easily reified yet essential terms such as representation and reverie, while providing a level of clarity that serves to bridge gaps across theoretical schools. Moreover, throughout this engaging text, Busch maintains a conceptual consistency directly tied to clinical praxis."-Michael J. Diamond, Ph.D., Training and Supervising Analyst, Los Angeles Institute and Society for Psychoanalytic Studies; author of The Second Century of Psychoanalysis: Evolving Perspectives on Therapeutic Action