Introducing the Clinical Work of Wilfred Bion

by Joseph Aguayo, PhD (Routledge, 2024)

A Book Review and Discussion with

Ofra Eshel, PsyD

"Theoretical" vs. "Clinical" Bion: Bion’s Long Road Towards Intuiting the Patient’s Suffering

Ofra Eshel was invited to review and discuss Joseph Aguayo's book, Introducing the Clinical Work of Wilfred Bion (Routledge, 2023). After reading the book, she decided to focus on what she discerned as the complex relationship and the significant gap between Bion's theoretical and clinical work, as documented by Bion's own writings from the critical years of his move to LA (1967-1968), and during his later years, particularly in the last two years of his life a decade later. Her presentation focuses on two of Bion’s own analytic case descriptions from 1967 in Los Angeles and 1968 in Buenos Aires, and on the account of the Brazilian analyst Junqueira de Mattos of his analysis with Bion over the final two years of Bion’s life -- while comparing them to a close reading of Bion’s radical theoretical-clinical writings during those years. These detailed accounts allow a textual investigation of Bion the theoretician versus Bion the practicing analyst, particularly highlighting the significant and disturbing gap between them. Eshel attempts to offer a possible explanation and understanding of this gap, and especially of Bion’s long road towards intuiting the patient’s suffering.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After attending the program in its entirety, attendees will be able to:

1. Describe the gap between Bion's theoretical and clinical work, as documented by Bion's own writings and by the account of the Brazilian analyst Junqueira de Mattos of his analysis with Bion over Bion’s late years.
2. Explain the significance of the gap between Bion's theoretical and clinical work, particularly as documented by Bion in two of his seminars – the Fourth Los Angeles Seminar (1967) and the Fifth Buenos Aires Seminar (1968).
3. Apply an understanding of Bion’s radical change to their own clinical work.

7:00 - 7:05 pm | Introduction

7:05 - 8:00 pm | Discussion with Dr. Eshel

8:00 - 8:30 pm | Presenter-led question and answer session

ACCME Accreditation Statement

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of American Psychoanalytic Association and Houston Psychoanalytic Society. The American Psychoanalytic Association is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

AMA Credit Designation Statement

The American Psychoanalytic Association designates this Live Activity for a maximum of 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Disclosure Statement

The APsA CE Committee has reviewed the materials for accredited continuing education and has determined that this activity is not related to the product line of ineligible companies and therefore, the activity meets the exception outlined in Standard 3: ACCME's identification, mitigation and disclosure of relevant financial relationship. This activity does not have any known commercial support. 

APA Accreditation Statement

Houston Psychoanalytic Society is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Houston Psychoanalytic Society maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

HPS, through co-sponsorship with the Center for Psychoanalytic Studies, also offers approved CEUs for Texas state-approved social workers, licensed professional counselors, and marriage and family therapists.