Wilfred Bion - Citizendia

Wilfred Ruprecht Bion, 1897-1979, was a British psychoanalyst. Psychoanalysis is a body of ideas developed by Austrian physician Sigmund Freud and his followers which is devoted to the study of human psychological functioning and behavior A pioneer in group dynamics, he was associated with the 'Tavistock group', the group of pioneering psychologists that founded the Tavistock Institute in 1946 on the basis of their shared wartime experiences, and trained in psychoanalysis under the influence of Melanie Klein. Group dynamics is the study of groups and also a general term for group processes This article is about the Tavistock Institute of Human Relations Melanie Klein ( March 30 1882 – September 22 1960) was an Austrian born

He later wrote the influential Experiences in Groups, London: Tavistock, 1961. This article is about the Tavistock Institute of Human Relations Experiences in Groups was an important guide for the group psychotherapy and encounter group movements beginning in the 1960s, and quickly became a touchstone work for applications of group theory in a wide variety of fields. Group psychotherapy is a form of Psychotherapy in which one or more therapists treat a small group of clients together as a group An Encounter group is a form of group Psychotherapy that emerged with the popularization of Humanistic psychology in the 1960s

1 Life
2 See also
3 on

Life

Bion was born in India, but educated in England. After the outbreak of World War I, he served as a tank commander in France where he was awarded both the DSO and the Legion of Honour. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All The Distinguished Service Order ( DSO) is a Military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other Commonwealth countries awarded for Subsequently, he studied history at Queen's College, Oxford and medicine at University College London. The Queen's College, founded 1341 is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. University College London ( UCL) is a multi-faculty university institution based in the United Kingdom and a constituent college of the University of London Initially attracted to London by the 'strange new subject called psychoanalysis', he met and was impressed by Wilfred Trotter, an outstanding brain surgeon who had also written the famous Instincts of the Herd in Peace and War in 1916, based on the horrors of the first world war. Wilfred Trotter (1872-1939 was a British Surgeon, a pioneer in Neurosurgery. This was to prove an important influence on Bion's interest in group behaviour. After obtaining his medical qualification Bion spent seven years in psychotherapeutic training at the Tavistock Clinic, an experience he regarded, in retrospect, as having had some limitations. It did, however, bring him into fruitful contact with Samuel Beckett. Samuel Barclay Beckett (13 April 1906 – 22 December 1989 was an Irish Writer, Dramatist and poet He wanted to train in Psychoanalysis and in 1938 he began a training analysis with John Rickman, but this was brought to an end by the Second World War.

He joined the RAMC in 1940 and worked in a number of military hospitals including Northfield Hospital where he initiated the first Northfield Experiment. The Northfield Hospital is a Psychiatric hospital located near Birmingham, England and is famous primarily for the work on group psychotherapy that took place there These ideas on the psychoanalysis of groups were then taken up and developed by others such as S. H. Foulkes, Rickman, Bridger, Main and Patrick De Mare. Siegfried Heinrich Foulkes (1898-1976 born Siegfried Heinrich Fuchs in Karlsruhe Germany was the founder of Group Analysis, a specific form of Group therapy Dr Patrick Baltzar de Maré ( 27 January 1916 &ndash 17 February 2008) was a consultant psychotherapist with a special interest in group psychotherapy

The entire group at Tavistock had in fact been taken into the army, and were working on new methods of treatment for psychiatric casualties (those suffering post-traumatic stress, or 'shell shock' as it was then known. ) During the war Bion's wife gave birth to a daughter, but, tragically, she died soon afterwards. His daughter, Parthenope, became a highly-regarded psychoanalyst. She herself died prematurely, in a car crash in Italy in 1998.

Returning to the Tavistock Clinic Bion chaired the 'Planning Committee' that reorganised the Tavistock into the new Tavistock Institute of Human Relations, alongside a new Tavistock Clinic which was part of the newly launched National Health Service. This article is about the Tavistock Institute of Human Relations The National Health Service is the name commonly used to refer to the four Publicly-funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom collectively or individually (although As his interest in psychoanalysis increased, he underwent training analysis, between 1946-1952, with Melanie Klein. Melanie Klein ( March 30 1882 – September 22 1960) was an Austrian born He met his second wife, Francesca, at the Tavistock in 1951. He joined a research group of Klein's students (including Hannah Segal and Herbert Rosenfeld), who were developing Klein's theory of the paranoid-schizoid position, for use in the analysis of patients with psychotic disorders. He produced a series of highly original and influential papers (collected as "Second Thoughts", 1967) on the analysis of schizophrenia, and the specifically cognitive, perceptual, and identity problems of such patients.

During the forties, he produced a series of brilliant papers on group dynamics, (collected as "Experiences in Groups", 1961). Group dynamics is the study of groups and also a general term for group processes Later he attempted to understand thoughts and thinking from a mathematical and scientific point of view, believing there to be too little precision in the existing vocabulary. Later he abandoned the complex, abstract applications of mathematics, and even the Grid, and developed a more intuitive approach, culminating in the Memoir of the Future.

From 1962 till 1965, Bion was President of the British Psychoanalytical Society. Year 1962 ( MCMLXII) was a Common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1965 ( MCMLXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. The British Psychoanalytical Society was founded by the British psychiatrist Ernest Jones as the London Psychoanalytical Society on October_30 1913 He spent his later years in Los Angeles, California, before returning to the UK shortly before his death. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean.

He left a reputation which has steadily grown in Britain and internationally. Some commentators consider that his writings are often gnomic and irritating, but never fail to stimulate. He defies categorisation as a follower of Klein or of Freud.

Bion created a theory of thinking based on changing Beta elements (primitive, concrete thoughts) into alpha elements (dream thoughts). BETA is a pure Object-oriented language originating within the "Scandinavian School" in object-orientation where the first object-oriented language Simula

Bion, W. Psychoanalysis is a body of ideas developed by Austrian physician Sigmund Freud and his followers which is devoted to the study of human psychological functioning and behavior Melanie Klein ( March 30 1882 – September 22 1960) was an Austrian born Sigmund Freud (ˈziːkmʊnt ˈfʁɔʏt born Sigismund Shlomo Freud (May 6 1856 &ndash September 23 1939 was an Austrian Psychiatrist who founded Object relations theory is a psychodynamic theory within Psychoanalytic psychology. This article is about the Tavistock Institute of Human Relations Alfred Ernest Jones ( January 1, 1879 – February 11, 1958) Welsh Neurologist, Psychoanalyst and Sigmund Socio-analysis is the activity of exploration consultancy and Action research which combines and synthesises methodologies and theories derived from Psychoanalysis Michal Heiman ( מיכל היימן, born 1954 is a prominent Israeli artist R. (1940). The war of nerves. In Miller and Crichton-Miller (Eds. ), The Neuroses in War (pp. 180 - 200). London: Macmillan, 1940.

Bion, W. R. (1943). Intra-group tensions in therapy, Lancet 2: 678/781 - Nov. 27, 1943, in Experiences in Groups (1961).

Bion, W. R. (1946). Leaderless group project, Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic, 10: 77-81.

Bion, W. R. (1948a). Psychiatry in a time of crisis, British Journal of Medical Psychology, vol. XXI.

Bion, W. R. (1948b). Experiences in groups, Human Relations, vols. I-IV, 1948-1951, Reprinted in Experiences in Groups (1961).

Bion, W. R. (1950). The imaginary twin, read to the British Psychoanalytical Society, Nov. 1,1950. In Second Thoughts (1967).

Bion, W. R. (1952). Group dynamics: a review. International Journal of Psycho-Analysis, vol. 33: , Reprinted in M. Klein, P. Heimann & R. Money-Kyrle (editors). New Directions in Psychoanalysis (pp. 440-477). Tavistock Publications, London, 1955. Reprinted in Experiences in Groups (1961).

Bion, W. R. (1954). Notes on the theory of schizophrenia. Read in the Symposium "The Psychology of Schizophrenia" at the 18th International psycho-analytical congress, London, 1953 International Journal of Psycho-Analysis, vol. 35: . Reprinted in Second Thoughts (1967).

1955a Bion, W. R. The Development of Schizophrenic Thought, International Journal of Psycho-Analysis, vol. 37: . Reprinted in Second Thoughts (1967).

1955b Bion, W. R. Language and the schizophrenic, in M. Klein, P. Heimann and R. Money-Kyrle (editors). New Directions in Psychoanalysis (pp. 220 - 239). Tavistock Publications, London, 1955.

Bion, W. R. (1957a). The differentiation of the psychotic from the non-psychotic personalities, International Journal of Psycho-Analysis, vol. 38: . Reprinted in Second Thoughts (1967).

Bion, W. R. (1957b). On Arrogance, 20th International Congress of Psycho-Analysis, Paris, in Second Thoughts (1967).

Bion, W. R. (1958). On Hallucination, International Journal of Psycho-Analysis,vol. 39, part 5: . Reprinted in Second Thoughts (1967).

Bion, W. R. (1959). Attacks on linking, International Journal of Psycho-Analysis, vol. 40: . Reprinted in Second Thoughts (1967).

Bion, W. R. (1961). Experiences in Groups, London: Tavistock.

Bion, W. R. (1962a). A theory of thinking, International Journal of Psycho-Analysis, vol. 43: . Reprinted in Second Thoughts (1967).

Bion, W. R. (1962b). Learning from Experience London: William Heinemann. [Reprinted London: Karnac Books,]. Reprinted in Seven Servants (1977e).

Bion, W. R. (1963). Elements of Psycho-Analysis, London: William Heinemann. [Reprinted London: Karnac Books]. Reprinted in Seven Servants (1977e).

Bion, W. R. (1965). Transformations. London: William Heinemann [Reprinted London: Karnac Books 1984]. Reprinted in Seven Servants (1977e).

Bion, W. R. (1966). Catastrophic change, Bulletin of The British Psychoanalytical Society, 1966, N°5.

Bion, W. R. (1967a). Second Thoughts, London: William Heinemann. [Reprinted London: Karnac Books 1984].

Bion, W. R. (1967b). Notes on memory and desire, Psycho-analytic Forum, vol. II n° 3 (pp. 271 - 280). [reprinted in E. Bott Spillius (Ed. ). Melanie Klein Today Vol. 2 Mainly Practice (pp. 17-21) London: Routledge 1988].

Bion, W. R. (1970). Attention and Interpretation. London: Tavistock Publications. [Reprinted London: Karnac Books 1984]. Reprinted in Seven Servants (1977e).

Bion, W. R. (1973). Bion's Brazilian Lectures 1. Rio de Janeiro: Imago Editora. [Reprinted in one volume London: Karnac Books 1990].

Bion, W. R. (1974). Bion's Brazilian Lectures 2. Rio de Janeiro: Imago Editora. [Reprinted in one volume London: Karnac Books 1990].

Bion, W. R. (1975). A Memoir of the Future, Book 1 The Dream. Rio de Janeiro: Imago Editora. [Reprinted in one volume with Books 2 and 3 and ‘The Key’ London: Karnac Books 1991].

Bion, W. R. (1976a). Evidence. Bulletin British Psycho-Analytical Society N° 8, 1976. Reprinted in Clinical Seminars and Four Papers (1987).

Bion, W. R. (1976b). Interview, with A. G. Banet jr. , Group and Organisation Studies, vol. 1 No. 3 (pp. 268 - 285). September 1976.

Bion, W. R. (1977a). A Memoir of the Future, Book 2 The Past Presented. Rio de Janeiro: Imago Editora. [Reprinted in one volume with Books 1 and 3 and ‘The Key’ London: Karnac Books 1991].

Bion, W. R. (1977b). Two Papers: The Grid and Caesura. Rio de Janeiro: Imago Editora. [Reprinted London: Karnac Books 1989].

Bion, W. R. (1977c). On a Quotation from Freud, in Borderline Personality Disorders, New York: International University Press. Reprinted in Clinical Seminars and Four Papers(1987). [Reprinted in Clinical Seminars and Other Works. London: Karnac Books, 1994].

Bion, W. R. (1977d). Emotional Turbulence, in Borderline Personality Disorders, New York: International University Press. Reprinted in Clinical Seminars and Four Papers(1987). [Reprinted in Clinical Seminars and Other Works. London: Karnac Books, 1994].

Bion, W. R. (1977e). Seven Servants. New York: Jason Aronson inc. Jason Aronson is an American Publisher of Books in the field of Psychotherapy. (includes Elements of Psychoanalysis, Learning from Experience, Transformations, Attention and Interpretation).

Bion, W. R. (1978). Four Discussions with W. R. Bion. Perthshire: Clunie Press. [Reprinted in Clinical Seminars and Other Works. London: Karnac Books, 1994].

Bion, W. R. (1979a). Making the best of a Bad Job. Bulletin British Psycho-Analytical Society, February 1979. Reprinted in Clinical Seminars and Four Papers (1987). [Reprinted in Clinical Seminars and Other Works. London: Karnac Books, 1994].

Bion, W. R. (1979b). A Memoir of the Future, Book 3 The Dawn of Oblivion. Rio de Janeiro: Imago Editora. [Reprinted in one volume with Books 1 and 2 and ‘The Key’ London: Karnac Books 1991].

Bion, W. R. (1980). Bion in New York and Sào Paolo. (Edited by F. Bion). Perthshire: Clunie Press.

Bion, W. R. (1981). A Key to A Memoir of the Future. (Edited by F. Bion). Perthshire: Clunie Press. [Reprinted in one volume London: Karnac Books 1991].

Bion, W. R. (1982). ). The Long Weekend: 1897-1919 (Part of a Life). (Edited by F. Bion). Abingdon: The Fleetwood Press.

Bion, W. R. (1985). All My Sins Remembered (Another part of a Life) and The Other Side of Genius: Family Letters. (Edited by F. Bion). Abingdon: The Fleetwood Press.

Bion, W. R. (1985). Seminari Italiani. (Edited by F. Bion). Roma: Borla.

Bion, W. R. (1987). Clinical Seminars and Four Papers, (Edited by F. Bion). Abingdon: Fleetwood Press. [Reprinted in Clinical Seminars and Other Works. London: Karnac Books, 1994].

Bion, W. R. (1992). Cogitations. (Edited by F. Bion). London: Karnac Books.

Bion, W. R. (1997a). Taming Wild Thoughts. (Edited by F. Bion). London: Karnac Books.

Bion, W. R. (1997b). War Memoirs 1917 - 1919. (Edited by F. Bion). London: Karnac Books.

Bion, Wilfred R (1999). Seminar held in Paris, July 10, 1978. Transcribed by Francesca Bion Sept.

on

Donald Meltzer : "Dream-Life: A Re-Examination of the Psycho-Analytical Theory and Technique" Publisher: Karnac Books, 1983, ISBN 0-902965-17-4

Donald Meltzer (1922–2004 was a Kleinian Psychoanalyst whose teaching made him influential in many countries

© 2009 citizendia.org; parts available under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License, from http://en.wikipedia.org
network: | |

Contents

Life

See also

See also

External links

Bibliography

on