The Organic and the Inner World

Psychiatry and psychoanalysis have often been perceived to be in opposition to one another, to the detriment of both disciplines. Rather than see 'organic' psychiatry on one side and 'dynamic' psychiatry on the other, the British Psychoanalytical Society is now fostering closer links between psychoanalysis and psychiatry. To this end, a conference was held at the Institute of Psychoanalysis entitled 'The Organic and the Inner World'. It was organized by the NHS Liaison committee of the British Psychoanalytical Society and its purpose was to consider the place for analytic thinking in the world of psychiatry with its emphasis on an organic approach to major psychiatric disorders. This volume collects the papers from this conference.

Ronald Doctor, FRCPsych, is Consultant Psychiatrist in Psychotherapy at the West London Mental Health NHS Trust, Chair of the NHS Liaison Committee, British Psychoanalytical Society, Chair of the Association of the Psychoanalytical Psychotherapists in the NHS (APP), Academic Secretary of the Psychotherapy Faculty, Royal College of Psychiatrists and Honorary Clinical Lecturer, Imperial College London. Richard Lucas was Consultant Psychiatrist at St Anne's Hospital and a member of the British Psychoanalytical Society. He had a particular interest in the integration of analytic concepts within general psychiatry and has written on many related subjects, including the psychotic wavelength, puerperal psychosis, and cyclical psychosis. He received the OBE in 2003 for his contribution to the Disability Living Allowance Award Board.