Tavistock Seminar Notes on Arrogance Paper, "Orientation"
Bion seminar Tavistock
11 Feb 2012 - notes by J Hooper
Paper by Bion 'On Arrogance' paper
Projective identification, PI, projecting parts of the unwanted self into the other, that is, leaving a split off, of good or bad feelings in therapist/other- a primitive form of communication ultimately dependent on verbalisation, notably, 'an obstructive force', likened to throwing a tantrum !
PI is really about experiencing powerful feelings and being able to contain them oneself ideally, with the satisfaction of balance.
Originally a maternal functioning, the baby must manage 'tollerance of frustration.' over time. Whereas,
thinking is an internal dialogue developing the prototype of linking to objects, a theory developed from Plato. Therefore, negotiation of 'orientation' is key. The baby has to orientate himself towards the breast and the mother has to orient towards the baby, forging a link, "a negotiation." Resulting in a dynamic of moments of orientation an reorientation. Thus the breast is thus 'home'. Compared to a situation, like meeting another person who wants to meet you and their capacity to do so. Helping you to recognise their emotional side inside themselves. No meeting of 'orientation' means no meeting of 'the container contained'!
This is likened to creating attunement rather than imposing how you want another person to act - joint monalogue, rather than, invading the child's space - leading and following, without a space to learn! In such situations, the child is not seen as separate. A rather early chronic situation of a missed encounter with the mother in the context of orientation. Moreover, emotions might be so powerful that 'thinking' is lost creating an incapacity to orientation 'towards' the mother/other. Therefore, feeling nourished and understood is temporary.
Psychosis is failure of containment , environment, the psychotic personality is confusion. Hence, containment and orientation go hand in hand. In otherwords a sense of 'I am sad', therapists create a place for patients to talk, a place in an abstract sense - a space to function. What therefore needs to be contained is not projections, but the experience of DISORIENTATION, even if orientation might happen or might not happen.
Overall PI is a defence against anxiety. Therefore, it's important to orientate and disorientate as a form of "my getting feedback from the other." The leader needs the opportunity to be a follower and vice versa. The follower is not actually a follower but a person who gives information.
If the baby is unhappy day after day you need help. Triangulation need to be there from the word go. Not just mother and baby but the other.
Furthermore, as the client, if you are unable to feel the pain you are also unable to experience the joy of life.
Question: is the lack of orientation something to do with pampering? J Hooper
The Analyst answer:
Pampering is good . However, it can be unhealthy in the sense that the mother wants the baby to become part of the mother, by the mother forcing the prevention of separation - smothering.
End .
Brief seminar notes
11 Feb 2012 - notes by J Hooper
Paper by Bion 'On Arrogance' paper
Projective identification, PI, projecting parts of the unwanted self into the other, that is, leaving a split off, of good or bad feelings in therapist/other- a primitive form of communication ultimately dependent on verbalisation, notably, 'an obstructive force', likened to throwing a tantrum !
PI is really about experiencing powerful feelings and being able to contain them oneself ideally, with the satisfaction of balance.
Originally a maternal functioning, the baby must manage 'tollerance of frustration.' over time. Whereas,
thinking is an internal dialogue developing the prototype of linking to objects, a theory developed from Plato. Therefore, negotiation of 'orientation' is key. The baby has to orientate himself towards the breast and the mother has to orient towards the baby, forging a link, "a negotiation." Resulting in a dynamic of moments of orientation an reorientation. Thus the breast is thus 'home'. Compared to a situation, like meeting another person who wants to meet you and their capacity to do so. Helping you to recognise their emotional side inside themselves. No meeting of 'orientation' means no meeting of 'the container contained'!
This is likened to creating attunement rather than imposing how you want another person to act - joint monalogue, rather than, invading the child's space - leading and following, without a space to learn! In such situations, the child is not seen as separate. A rather early chronic situation of a missed encounter with the mother in the context of orientation. Moreover, emotions might be so powerful that 'thinking' is lost creating an incapacity to orientation 'towards' the mother/other. Therefore, feeling nourished and understood is temporary.
Psychosis is failure of containment , environment, the psychotic personality is confusion. Hence, containment and orientation go hand in hand. In otherwords a sense of 'I am sad', therapists create a place for patients to talk, a place in an abstract sense - a space to function. What therefore needs to be contained is not projections, but the experience of DISORIENTATION, even if orientation might happen or might not happen.
Overall PI is a defence against anxiety. Therefore, it's important to orientate and disorientate as a form of "my getting feedback from the other." The leader needs the opportunity to be a follower and vice versa. The follower is not actually a follower but a person who gives information.
If the baby is unhappy day after day you need help. Triangulation need to be there from the word go. Not just mother and baby but the other.
Furthermore, as the client, if you are unable to feel the pain you are also unable to experience the joy of life.
Question: is the lack of orientation something to do with pampering? J Hooper
The Analyst answer:
Pampering is good . However, it can be unhealthy in the sense that the mother wants the baby to become part of the mother, by the mother forcing the prevention of separation - smothering.
End .
Brief seminar notes
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6:23 AM
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