Sex and Sexuality: Winnicottian Perspectives

"Winnicott" and "sex" are two subjects that are rarely associated with one another. Sexuality is not a prominent theme within the work of Winnicott, who preferred to concentrate on the development of the self from infancy. However, his writings contain unexplored insights into sexuality and it is these hidden insights that prompted Lesley Caldwell to invite papers from leading analysts to expand upon them.
This collection provides a fresh and innovative look at the work of Winnicott and into sexuality, in particular infantile sexuality. The unusual link of Winnicott to Freud and to psychoanalysis located in the drives encourages a different perspective into British psychoanalysis. Other diverse themes include a historical examination of Winnicott through the British Society; an exploration of the similarities between Laplanche and Winnicott; a parallel reading of Winnicott's paper on transitional objects and transitional phenomena and Donne's "The Good Morrow"; linking Rilke through his poem "Orpheus, Eurydice, Hermes" to Winnicott; the use of Winnicott's work in the treatment of sexual dysfunction; and the interrelation between sexuality and play.

The sixth volume in the Winnicott Studies Monograph series, these papers will appeal to all practicing psychoanalysts and will open a new perspective on D.W. Winnicott.

Contributors: Mario Bertolini, Lesley Caldwell, Andreas Giannakoulas, André Green, Joyce McDougall, Francesca Neri, Adam Phillips, Helen Taylor Robinson, Dominique Scarfone, and Maggie Schaedel