Questioning Identities

Face-to-face with differences in the analytical relationship, analysts frequently confront the limitations of their theories. In this new book, Mary Lynne Ellis and Noreen O'Connor move to the heart of 21st century intertwining of psychoanalytical and philosophical critical reflections. They highlight how philosophical perspectives on language, embodiment, time, history, and conscious/unconscious experiences can contribute to clinical interpretations of gender, sexuality, race, age, culture, and class. Vital to Questioning Identities: Philosophy in Psychoanalytic Practiceis its emphasis on clinical material, and on attentiveness to the uniqueness of individuals' articulations of their desires and identities.

Noreen O'Connor and Mary Lynne Ellis are analysts practising in North London. Qualified and each with over 25 years' experience of clinical practice, they have contributed to a number of analytical trainings. Noreen has a PhD in Contemporary European Philosophy and, amongst other publications, co-authored (with Joanna Ryan) Wild Desires and Mistaken Identities: Lesbianism and Psychoanalysis (Karnac, 2003). Mary Lynne has masters degrees in Art Therapy and in Modern European Philosophy. Her publications include Time In Practice: Analytical Perspectives on the Times of Our Lives (Karnac, 2008).