Theo a an Objec *

JULIET MITCHELL

To con ide he e ion of heo a an objec , I am going o e e e a

end and e o in he fi in ance o an h opomo phi m. I am on afe anal ic
g o nd , fo in objec ela ion p choanal i , he "objec " i a pe on, in a iabl
omeone of ignificance o he bjec . Tha a pe on ho ld be een a an objec
a offen i e o econd- a e femini m, hich, i h ome j ifica ion, fel ha
behind he ideali a ion of he mo he a he denig a ion of he oman a a " e -
al objec ." Tha he feminine occ pie he po i ion of objec , no bjec , i
endo ed in Lacan' e eading of F e d. If e an h opomo phi e heo , he e
doe heo and in he gende ake ?
A fe mon h af e he e ol iona momen of Ma 1968, Donald Winnico ,
e ao dina pedia ician and impo an p choanal , ga e a b ief pape o he
Ne Yo k P choanal ic Socie en i led "The U e of an Objec and Rela ing
h o gh Iden ifica ion."l A heme of hi a g men i he po i i e e of de c i e-
ne , hich, gi en he da e of hi p e en a ion, gge ha Winnico , nlike e e al
o he colleag e , ma implici l ha e been on he ide of demon a ing o h ho
hoped (in ain, a i ned o ) ha Ma '68 a " he beginning of he end."
I am going o e Winnico ' b ief, and appa en l imple, pape a a focal
poin . B fi I need o i a e m elf a obiog aphicall in he di c ion abo
a , c i ici m, and p choanal ic heo ha hi i e of Oc obe i a emp ing o
open p. I am no an a c i ic o hi o ian; he nea e I can come o nde and-
ing he p oblem po ed b a o p choanal i i h o gh li e a e, hich i he
field of m o iginal aining. M o n en in o p choanal i came abo
h o gh he e igencie of he p edicamen of omen. When I a fi in e e ed
in he po i ion of omen in he ea l 1960 , omen did no e i , in a en e
a he diffe en f om Lacan' fo m la ion " he oman doe no e i ," ho gh
l ima el connec ed o ha gnomic e ance. Women e e cla ified a i e of

* Thi e a i adap ed f om a pape deli e ed a he mpo i m "Theo a an Objec ," o gani ed

b Ca he ine G an and Sa ah Jame a he Co a ld In i e of A in London and held on
No embe 29, 2003.
1. D. W. Winnico , "The U e of an Objec and Rela ing h o gh Iden ifica ion" (1968), in
Winnico , Pla ing and Reali (London: Ta i ock P blica ion , 1971).

OCTOBER 113, S mme 2005, pp. 27-38. ? 2005 Oc obe Maga ine, L d. and Ma ach e In i e of Technolog .

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28 OCTOBER

hei h band o da gh e of hei fa he . In Sheila Ro bo om' o d ,

e e "hidden f om hi o ."
Whe e he e e hidden in he man di c ion h o gho he 1950
and of co e befo e, a in " he famil "; fo one mi ing oman he e
ple ho a of famil die . Reflec ing on ha ob io hiding place led
i e "Women: The Longe Re ol ion" (1966), in hich I ied o l
omen in ha I a a he chief c e of he famil - e ali i h
pa ne , ep od c ion of he pop la ion, ociali a ion of he child-al
i hin, and in e ac i e i h, he la ge econom .2 M b e en mo e
choanal i a highl o e de e mined. He e, I ill elec one fac : a e p
ha agge ed me a one in hich I a aken o a k fo no ha ing n
ood ha omen and he famil e e co e mino and cogna e e m
had, of co e, been m p oblema ic. (Thi i e cellen l de c ibed in
S indell and Li a Ja dine' Wha ' Lef ?)3 Q in in Hoa e o e of m "W
The Longe Re ol ion":

We a e a ned ha hi he a icle ill no p o ide an hi o ical na a-

i e of omen' po i ion. B ha , in fac , happen i ha he e cl de
hi o f om he anal i . Ho can one anal e ei he he po i ion of
omen oda , o i ing on he bjec ahi o icall ? I i hi hich
p e en he f om eali ing ha he hole hi o ical de elopmen of
omen ha been i hin he famil ; ha omen ha e o ked and li ed
i hin i pace and ime. We ma all ag ee ha he place ho ld no
be he e, b i i . An di c ion of he po i ion of omen hich doe
no a f om he famil a he mode of he ela ion i h ocie
become ab ac .4

The dep h of o ncon cio a mp ion of hi e a ion of omen and

he famil , he gap be een omen' e pe ience of hem el e and he con c-
ion of feminini , a one h o a d p choanal i . P choanal i and
Femini m (1974) ook omen in o e al diffe ence, and i ook he famil in o
ide kin hip la .5 Af e i ing P choanal i and Femini m, I ained a a p cho-
anal , ndo b edl fo pe onal ea on b delibe a el beca e I co ld no ee
ho I co ld con in e m in e e if I did no ha e he ma e ial ba e- he clinical
o k-f om hich he heo ie a o e. Beca e of hi mo i e, m g eac ion o
o bjec , o he e ion of ho a and c i ici m migh e p choanal ic he-
o , a o belie e ha he dilemma of an one ing p choanal ic heo a an

2. J lie Mi chell, "Women: The Longe Re ol ion," Ne Lef Re ie 40 (1966).

3. J lia S indell and Li aJa dine, Wha ' Lef ? Women in C l e and he Labo Mo emen (London:
Ro ledge, 1990).
4. Q in in Hoa e, "On Women: 'The Longe Re ol ion,"' Ne Lef Re ie 41 (1967), p. 80.
5. J lie Mi chell, P choanal i and Femini m (Ha mond o h, England: Allan Lane and Peng in
P e , 1974).

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Theo a an Objec 29

objec a ha nle one ha acce o he clinical e pe ience f om hich ha

heo a i e , one i ed ced o dealing i ha a ic, nchangeable objec .
Wi ho an nde l ing p ac ice ha i al a changing, ho can one do mo e
han ei he e ion he heo i hin i o n e m o appl i a i and o he
a nde con ide a ion?

M e of Winnico ' a icle i b a of a elf- ep oach o hi impli ic

fi eac ion-a eac ion al o bo n of i i a ion i h he of en n a an ed
pe io i of he po la e of c l al die . I i al o b a of a mall c i-
i e of he p e alence oda of o-called ela ional anal i , pa ic la l in he
Uni ed S a e . Winnico i e , "I p opo e o p fo a d fo di c ion he
idea of he e of an objec . The allied bjec of ela ing o objec eem o
me o ha e had o f ll a en ion."6 M f ame o k i implici in Winnico ' -I
am in e e ed in he diffe ence be een " e," " ela ing" ( hich incl de in e -
ela ing), and "iden ifica ion." When doe ano he di cipline-a , hi o , o
li e a c i ici m, fo in ance-" e," " ela e," o "iden if " i h he heo
ha
i i objec ?
Wha p omp Winnico ' ho gh i a ide p ead clinical phenomenon-
he o e coming of hich I o ld con ide o be cen al o he di inc ion be een
f ll-blo n p choanal i and p choanal ical he ap . In hi all- oo-f e en
concl ion o a ea men , anal and anal and coll de o a oid an nde l ing
p cho i o madne b finding a p chone o ic e ol ion.

In ch ca e he p choanal ma coll de fo ea i h he pa ien '

need o be p chone o ic (a oppo ed o mad) and o be ea ed a
p chone o ic. The anal i goe ell, and e e one i plea ed. The
onl d a back i ha he anal i ne e end . I can be e mina ed, and
he pa ien ma e en mobili e a p chone o ic fal e elf fo he p -
po e of fini hing and e p e ing g a i de. B , in fac , he pa ien
kno ha he e ha been no change in he nde l ing (p cho ic)
a e and ha he anal and he pa ien ha e cceeded in coll ding
o b ing abo a fail e.... Al ho gh e i e pape abo he e bo -
de line ca e e a e in a dl o bled hen he madne ha i he e
emain ndi co e ed and nme .7

De pi e appea ance , he pa ien ha been engaged in a elf-anal i feeding

off onl hi o n ho gh and ha been nable o e he anal . B and la ge,
people can e food o e he eaching he a e offe ed-b he canno nece -
a il e he anal . The anal , fo Winnico , incl de no onl he pe on of
he anal , b al o he anal ic echni e and he anal ic e ing. Al ho gh hi
o n o k i dedica ed o no p od cing me ap chologie , had omeone poin ed
i o o him, I belie e Winnico o ld ha e been p epa ed o add he anal ic

6. Winnico , "The U e of an Objec and Rela ing h o gh Iden ifica ion," p. 86.
7. Ibid., p. 87.

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30 OCTOBER

" heo " o hi iad of e ing, echni e, and pe on. Fo Winnico i of e

fo nded b hi o n implici . Nea l half a h o gh hi pape he i e
no ead o go aigh o he a emen of m he i . I eem I am af aid
he e, a if I fea ha once he he i i a ed he p po e of m comm ni
i a an end, beca e i i o e imple."8
When Wilf ed Bion fo m la ed hi comple concep of he mo he -in
in e ac ion in he fo ma ion of hinking, Winnico commen ed ha if B
an ed o e p e hi ob e a ion in ha comple a , o be i , b i a
he, Winnico , had been a ing e impl hile no being nde ood fo
b he Kleinian g o p o hich Bion belonged. M o n e plana ion i
Winnico ' implici i of en ha de o hold on o han Bion' comp
beca e Winnico n he ob io on i head-making i j he ob
p ide do n. B he ob io p ide-do n make one ee diffe en l . The
men e a e con ide ing he e i a ca e in poin .
The pe on, he echni e, he e ing, and he heo a e hen he "a
l ic objec ." B , of co e, behind hi amalgam lie ano he : he pe on o
mo he , he echni e, he e ing, and he heo ha he ep e en an
hich he i embedded. The an fe ence of hi p ima infan ile con ella
he clinical condi ion canno , I belie e, be igno ed hen he de ina
in ead he academ and i ide in ellec al con e . (I do no ha e he op
ni he e o con ide he implica ion of he ime and condi ion he
an fe ence, hich in fac i no of he mo he b of he pa en , a
Oedipal fa he a he han he p e-Oedipal mo he .)
Winnico end o mo e effo le l be een he o iginal fig e and
epe i ion in he anal ; fo him, he e i he mo he and he einca na
he fig e and con e of he anal . I an o and no mo e be een
b o hold hem in a en ion of coe i ence. The a i and he c i ic, like he
pa ien , e pe ience he objec - ha i o a , he o iginal mo he and he he-
o and, in o foc he e, p choanal ic heo -no a epa a e poin b
im l aneo l .
Imi a ing Winnico ' o n dela , i ha aken me ome ime o ge o he cen-
al poin - he poin of e e al, he ning p ide do n of o nde anding.
I i hi : he al e plana ion of h man de c i ene i ha i i ei he inna e
(Klein) o al e na i el ha i i in e pon e o, o igge ed b , a iolence e pe i-
enced b he bjec f om he e e nal o ld. Ho e e , ha Winnico gge i
ha i i de c i ene ha c ea e he e e nal o ld a e e nal. Hi e ion i
no , Wha i de c i ene ? b , Wha doe i do? He a g e f om ob e a ion
ha if e a e o de elop he capaci o e an objec , e m fi de o i . We
can onl e i once e a e no o all iden ified i h i , o e en in a a e of ela-
ion hip o in e ela ion hip i h i . Wha e a e he efo e de o ing i he
objec ho i , o i ela ed o : I o kill he heo ha i he ame o

8. Ibid., p. 89.

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Theo a an Objec 31

ii i
i

'W I

".4.'A f ^

Shellb ne Th be . We Ne on, Ma .: Office i h b

co ch and ab ac ce amic all piece. 2000
Co e he a i .

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32 OCTOBER

nea l he ame a me. If I am l ck , he heo i ong eno gh o i h a

a a l and ill ill be he e fo me o lo e and app ecia e hen m de
ne i ( empo a il ) o e . B he main poin i ha ho gh he heo ma
all e en and p po e , he ame befo e and af e m a emp ed de c
i , hen i i e i ill be in a diffe en place. I ill be o he han me, an e
nal objec , hich i al a a -b no o me befo e I ied i h all m o
de o i , and i ill i ed.
I an o a g e, a Winnico did no , ha he e i al o a de c i ene
come h o gh an iden ifica ion i h an e e nal a ma and ha hi , if i
po e f l, p ohibi he de elopmen of he co age o de o he objec
nece a a Winnico de c ibed. Wh , I an o a k, i he pa ien ho
de o and hence e hi objec o af aid of madne ? I hall e plo e Winn
gge ion and i f he implica ion fo o opic.
The o ld i al ead he e fo all of , b e-bab , pa ien , a i ,
c i ic-fi belie e e ha e c ea ed i . S ch a belief pe i e en if mo
no o ackno ledge i . I emembe m o n elde l mo he , hen he
b he ea and I i i ed he , e claiming in an ec a of jo a he nligh
he a e : "I made hi ." S ch a a emen a , of co e, bo h ab ol el
and comple el igh - he had done no hing of he o , and, a he ame
he had c ea ed i a a ha ed eali , a a e ie of in e ela ion hip : he
mo he ho had "c ea ed" me, co ld ha e he o ld ha had al o "made"
bo h. I i hi ha ed eali I an o empha i e. I i no Winnico ' foc ,
and m gge ion ha hi ha ed eali he ald he e of an objec diffe
ome ha f om hi . I do no belie e ha , hen m mo he en on he oli a
alk along he beach ha he lo ed, he belie ed he had made he o ld. The
impo an poin fo me i ha he o ld ha a and i ( e hope) al a he e,
become ha ed. "Sha ing" and " ela ing" a e o d o hich e gi e a po i i e
alence, b I an o eno nce ch conno a ion he e. In hi mad momen
of belie ing one c ea e i , a momen no of objec e b of objec ela ing,
he e i ec a , he ec a of a momen of c ea ion, an ec a ha ha o pa ,
fo o he i e i can onl be ained in he i ola ion of mania o in he end-
le ne of ome anal ical ea men in hich he pa ien ha iden ified i h
he p oce b no ed he anal / e ing/ echni e and heo .
Wha e ha e he e i a pa ic la pe of ha ing ha can be i ne ed in
he need fo he anal o coll de in a fail e of he anal i . The anal c ea ed
he pa ien , and he onde f l heo of p choanal i made hem bo h. Anal
and pa ien in hi cena io h and in a ela ion hip of " imple e a ion" o
each o he . I i no , I belie e, a Winnico (he e ela ing oo defe en iall o
Klein in o de o di ag ee i h he ) a g e , a ma e of p ojec ion en i el . The e
i an ec a ic, p imi i e ha ing. A an a i , ha ec a ic momen ma happen
hen one i ac all alone, b he e pe ience i in e nall peopled- omeone,
ome a dience ho i he ame a one elf a c ea ed objec , i he e in he en a-
ion of e ci emen , in hi jo i ance.

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Theo a an Objec 33

F om hi ec a of objec - ela ing, ho e e , he mo e ha i of en no made,

o no fficien l made, i o objec e. Fo hi , Winnico e e , he en i on-
men need o be ch ha he bjec -bab /pa ien /a i /c i ic/m mo he -i
helped o de elop a capaci o e he objec . The heo -he e p choanal ic
heo -ha o be good eno gh o help ho e ho o ld e i o de elop he capac-
i o do o h o gh fi allo ing hei de c i ene . He e I o ld epa a e o
Winnico ' concep "en i onmen " (a in hi no ion of he "facili a ing en i on-
men ") and "objec ." Empi icall , he en i onmen i an "objec ," and he objec i
he en i onmen , b a concep he a e no iden ical-i i diffe en o be pa of
one' en i onmen and o ake one' en i onmen a an objec - a of lo e o ha e.
The good-eno gh heo help he pe on ho o ld e i o do o, o n i f om
en i onmen , f om he con e ha help , in o an objec ha can be ed. So he
idea of p choanal i fo m an en i onmen , a con e . If he a e ela ed o, he
emain h ; if he a e de o ed, he can be ed a an objec .
F om he o he pe pec i e, ha of he bjec , hi hif , acco ding o
Winnico , i one of he mo impo an and mo diffic l in h man de elop-
men . F om he ide of he bjec , he bjec need o de o he objec in
o de o make he objec in o he e e nal objec i al ead i in i elf, b i no
e fo he bjec .
Befo e looking a bo h he capaci o de o and he ac of de c ion, I
an o glo Winnico ' acco n . The a i o c i ic i helped b he heo of
p choanal i o de elop he capaci o de o ha heo o ha he o he can
make e of i a a heo independen of he a i /c i ic. I ma help o fo m -
la e hi o ha p choanal i , hile ill an en i onmen al objec o hich he
a i /c i ic ela e in he ec a of a ha ed ela ion hip (o in Winnico ' e m ,
in o hich he/he p ojec he /hi o n feeling ), can become, h o gh i
de c ion, no longe an en i onmen -objec , b in ead a e-objec . Wha i
he a i /c i ic doing hen he/he de o he en i onmen -objec o , e o -
ingl , hen he/he a oid doing o and con in e in ead o ela e a ho gh
heo and i ho ld-be e had he ame e pe ience? Wha a e he limi a ion
of ela ing? Wh doe ela ing o heo no mo e o ing i - ha i he fea of
madne ha i being a oided?
M mo he ' jo in he c ea ion of he en i onmen -objec ook onl pe fi-
cial acco n of m o no he objec -en i onmen ' eali . The e a e o he
people, b no i h hei o n eali . The pa ien , in ha ing he lang age of he
anal , ha no g a ped he anal ' o n eali ; he a i /c i ic ela ing o p -
choanal ic heo , in peaking i lang age, ha no een i e diffe en eali
f om he o hi o n. Thi , o me, i no p ojec ion: i i an iden ifica ion ha
denie an diffe en ia ion, e en ha diffe en ia ion made b he ma ke of iden i-
fica ion i elf.

De o ing he en i onmen -objec c ea e no a ne objec b he b-

jec ' abili o e i . P choanal ic heo doe no change f om i hin i elf,
b i look and beha e diffe en l beca e he a i /c i ic can e i ; he ed

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34 OCTOBER

anal /mo he i no in he elf diffe en f om he one ha facili a

bab /pa ien ' capaci o e he -b he look and beha e diffe en l ,
can a "good-b e," kno ing one doe no kno e e hing abo he b
i h one all ha he con in e o mean be ond e en he pa ing of he dea
in ime m happen.
Doe hi mean ha he a i /c i ic ha o lea e p choanal ic heo
o de o li e he o hi o n c ea i e life? To hink abo ha e ion, e n
n o he ke ac ion in c ea ing he heo a objec o be ed- he mo
(o a he man momen h o gho a life ime) of de c ion. Winnico
a den opponen of F e d' h po he i of a dea h d i e; in fac I belie e hi
dia ion of i a emo ionall d i en b a ha ed of Melanie Klein' endi ion
dea h d i e a p ima en and inna e de c i ene . F e d' dea h d i
dea hline ha d i e he bjec back o a a i-ino ganic a e of a i -b
ime i i de c i ene and agg e ion, i ha f ed i h ha o he e all
fo ce, he life d i e. In fac , Winnico ' "de c ion" of he objec co ld
empi ical eading of hi la e effec : i i a lo ing de c i ene , o , a h
i , a de c i ene i ho ange .
Fi , ha doe he en i onmen -objec do o facili a e he bjec o
he/he can de o ? The anal in hi pha e of he pa ien ' de elopmen
pa e in e p e a ion , and he e a e made onl o indica e he limi of he anal
o n nde anding of he pa ien , he mo he ' of he bab , he p choa
heo ' of he o k of a and/o i c ea o . P ima ma e nal p eocc pa ion
a mo he no o ha e bo nda ie ha epa a e he f om he bab -and i
bo nda ie he i nece a il mad. Ho e e , he mo he i hd a f om h
ha ing i h he bab , in hich i i a ho gh he e e ha ing he ame e pe
all babie a e he ame- he ame omach c amp , he ame milk plea e
heo i hd a f om hinking i can nde and all c ea i i ; i e pec ha
a i /a objec ha a diffe en ake on he ame h man e pe ience. Con e el ,
ame e ing, ame echni e, ame heo , ame anal , ame mo he a
en i el he ame fo each pa ien /bab . Wha i de o ed i ha , man ea
i ing f om a e diffe en place, I called "iden icali ": hen he n hine ,
no nece a il hining oo.

I ill be een ha , al ho gh de c ion i he o d I am ing, he

ac al de c ion emain po en ial. The o d "de c ion" i need-
ed, no beca e of he bab ' imp l e o de o , b beca e of he
objec ' liabili no o i e, hich al o mean o ffe change in
ali , in a i de.9

The heo i lne able. Like he mo he , i ma no i e. Ho e

heo and mo he , I o ld a g e, ha e fi o i hd a hei iden ifica io
he a i and bab . The mo he doe no feel and nde and he bab ' pa

9. Ibid., p. 93.

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Theo a an Objec 35

all ime; he p choanal ic heo ma ha e a model of a , b i ma no g a p

ha i hi a pec of hi a i . Thi i ha Winnico de c ibe a he ana-
l ' allo ing he pa ien o kno he limi of he anal ' nde anding. If
he anal ho he limi a ion , he pa ien can ecogni e he e and e diffe -
en a pec of he . So, oo, he a i and he heo . Fo e ample, I go a hock
hen I fi opened Ame ican c i ic Ba ba a John on' 1998 The Femini
Diffe ence: fo each o k of fic ion ha he a anal ing, he had ed an of en
b an iall diffe en b anch of p choanal ic heo .10 B , in fac , ea ing
he heo ie a diffe en manife a ion of he ame h man/ heo e ical hing
( he ncon cio , p cho e ali , dea h) a e en iching. "M mo he ea
m b o he diffe en l f om me" can-admi edl i h diffic l -be a deepl
e a ding e pe ience, pa ic la l a i i a el he hole h. The poin i
no an p efe ence b ha he and each of a e diffe en ; he o ld i a a i-
o place.
P choanal ic heo , de pi e a ne ge o he ec en cla ion call of i
demi e, ha o fa i ed; i ed no onl ho e ho hope i ill no do o, b
al o ho e ho a b ela ing o i . If he/he i no o a ela ing b mo e o
ing, hi ill happen:

The bjec a o he objec : "I de o ed o ," and he objec i he e

o ecei e he comm nica ion. F om no on he bjec a : "H llo
objec !" "I de o ed o ." "I lo e o ." ... "While I am lo ing o I am
all he ime de o ing o in ( ncon cio ) fan a ."1

And con e el he mo he /anal m kno hen he bab i able al o o be

de o ed a an en i onmen objec and ed a a diffe en child. Thi ec en
momen of de c ion-and- i al i he momen of he bi h of fan a . In
o he e m , imagina ion can ake o e f om hall cina ion; pe cep ion and he "I"
a he e.

The neona e can ee ell fo a fe da af e bi h, hen le ell, and finall

ell again. I hi a p ec o of p ima ela ing/p ima iden ifica ion (bab in i
en i onmen , hich i ee ell); de c i ene (bab de o en i onmen -objec ,
hich i no longe ee o ell); e of he objec /pe cep ion (en i onmen i e
and become an objec o be een/ ed b he e e )? We kno ha in g o p , o in
ma ac ion, each indi id al bjec eg e e f om pe cep ion o iden ifica ion o
ha all ac a one. I o ld gge ha he mo emen i f om he nde l ing p og e -
ion a a f om iden icali , ia de c i ene , o pe cep ion and hen a eg e ion
back again. A -and no c i ici m o anal i -can ake ei he o e: eg e ion o
being he ame a he heo , o ing and pe cei ing he heo f om diffe en
poin of ie . If he heo i ed, hen-and onl hen- ill i , like he

10. Ba ba a John on, The Femini Diffe ence: Li e a e, P choanal i , Race, and Gende (Camb idge:
Ha a d Uni e i P e , 1998).
11. Winnico , "The U e of an Objec and Rela ing h o gh Iden ifica ion," p. 90.

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36 OCTOBER

mo he /anal , con ib e o ha he bjec i doing: " he objec de elop i

a onom and life, and (if i i e ) con ib e -in o he bjec , acco ding o
o n p ope ie ."12 The no ion of he de c ion of he heo ho ld no b
la ed o ome benign no ion of pla . I ma be i ho ange , b ne e hele
i , and ha o be, a eal i k, hich i of en eali ed, ha he objec ill no
ha i canno change. I i no onl he objec ' eng h, i abili o i e b
f ndamen all i i a good heo , o "good eno gh" heo , ha i a ake
na e of he bjec ' de c i ene . The e cep ional a i ake mo e-
a e age i k ; chance he po ibili of he non i al of he objec
i hd a ing j in ime, b po ibl hen i i nea l oo la e. A in hich he
i he ame a hi /he c ea ion i objec ela ing; a ha i hd a , fea ing ha
de c i ene ill kill he objec , op ho of g ea ne .
Ea lie , I men ioned one line of m o n ela ion hip o p choanal i : i
in eali ing ho he famil in hich he oman a in e ed and lo bo e he m
of e al diffe ence; e bea kin hip i h he e e e go. I i no he onl
na io. I me he a i Ma Kell in a Women' Libe a ion g o p no e
af e 1969. I ill feel he con c ion of Po -Pa m Doc men a ho gh
bo n f om all o bodie a ha ime, m ch a m o n P choanal i and Femi
p ang A hena-like f om all o head . I a a pe iod of p ofo nd collec
Ma ha mo ed on f om Po -Pa m Doc men -I m elf f om P choanal
Femini m.'3 I hope e ha e been de c i e of p choanal ic heo ( h
kno I ha e e of en onl ela ed o i ); i ha ob io l i ed o , and o h
mo e po e f l a ack no onl in he gene ic en e ha i i bigge and
han e a e. I ha i ed in he en e ha ma e : i i al can onl
a ed b he fac ha i ha changed, ho gh ce ainl no e l . Whoe e
i and doe no eg e o ela ing o i , be he clinician, a i , c i ic, hi o ian
pa ien , ill help i change and h i e, o i e and h change
n, ill bea i con ib ion in hem el e and in hei o k.
No an ill a ion: M . A came o ee M . B, a he api , fo a limi
pe iod of ime. M . A e hi ime limi fo pe fec l good e e nal ea
Ho e e , i oon became clea ha he did no belie e M . B (o an one)
ake e m ch of he . D ing he he ap , he mo ed in o M . B' neig
hood, and in he ic l elf- imed e ion he occ pied he con l ing o
ho gh i e e he o n home. She aid ha e e came in o he head i h a
en l no e i ance o cen o hip ha oe e . She did no like an in e p
he cea ele flo of he alking. He bod a a ninhibi ed a he
Some ime he b o gh M . B he accompli hed pain ing in hich he po
he en e of de pai .
Winnico a hi eflec ion i h he clinical ob e a ion ha a ea -

men can end i h a coll ion be een he he api and pa ien ch ha he

12. Ibid.
13. Ma Kell appea ed on a panel i h J lie Mi chell a he mpo i m fo
i en.-Ed.

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Theo a an Objec 37

ha e managed a ne o i and a oided a p cho i . The mechani m of p ojec-

ion o hich he efe hen de c ibing he " ela ing" o he objec condi ion
confi m hi a emen ha i i a p cho i ha i mi ed. I an , ho e e , o call
i madne - he madne ha And e G een i he o ein a e hen he
de c ibe pa ion and hei ici i de ; he madne ha Winnico find nece
a in he mo he ho e "p ima ma e nal p eocc pa ion" allo he o be
one i h he bab .
In fea ing ha M . B co ld onl and he fo a p eci e fif -min e e io
fo a fi ed pe iod, M . A a efe ing o he madne - hich a eal eno
i a an ec a ic a -onene of a o k and a i , no a p ojec ion b a el
ing i ho bo nda ie of o and me, elf and o he . Pa ien and anal i
ce ainl coll de con cio l o a oid hi ec a of madne , hi folie h e i
o end he anal i befo e i ha beg n. B he i on i ha hi coll
achie e e ac l ha i aim o a oid: he folie, he ec a , he ela ing ha
p e e ed i hin he confine of a e mina ion of an anal i ha ha no ha
pened; an anal ho ha no been ed and he efo e ha no "con ib ed-i
o he pa ien . M . A' ini ial elf- e ic ion on he amo n of ime he ga
he elf e e ma ked b an iden ifica ion i h he anal i . She allo ed he e
he ame fif -min e e ion ha he p oce allo ed he : he and i e e o
one and he ame hing. One da i o ld ha e o e mina e befo e i h
a ed, o hi , oo, he iden ified i h/ ela ed o f om he o e . Thi "mad"
ol ion a ag eed o beca e he fif -min e e ion , he e mina ion, e
ha he p choanal ic heo offe ed. Al ho gh M . B a a a e of hi a
of he implica ion of he p ede e mined e mina ion, he e e p e ion o
he p oblem " ied he hand " a an anal : he did no ha e ime o deal i
he i e. Ano he pa ien follo ed M . A' e ion; M . A had o e n on
fi ed da e o he o n co n .
I looked a ho gh he anal did no ha e ime in he f e, b he i e, i
fac , a ha M . B did no ha e ime in he pa . The lack of ime in iga ed b M
A a a comm nica ion no ha he e o ld no be ime b ha he e had no been
ime. Thi a no j a complain in he an fe ence abo a mo he ho had no
had eno gh ime fo he bab , b a me age abo a bab and mo he ac all no
being he e fo each o he : i a hi ha a o be eenac ed. M . A a ncon-
cio l a ning M . B ha he a o be an adop i e mo he , ho co ld no kno
M . A f om bi h. Thi had no been li e all he ca e, b i a a po e f l fan a
ha M . A li ed b fo ea on be ond he cope of hi e a . Wha Winnico ' di -
inc ion be een ela ing and e enable o ee i ha al ho gh ela ing demand
a p e ence ha i ac all he e fo he one ho ela e , e an fo m hi in o a
kno ledge ha i ma no be he e fo he e , b ha i e i an a .
Wha i impo an i ha an adop i e mo he can kno a bab f om bi h o
concep ion, and a bi h mo he ma ell no . The fo me ill ha e been ed, he
la e no . The ame i e of a heo . The e of p choanal ic heo b non-
clinician i an adop i e e, a a mine in P choanal i and Femini m, he e I

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38 OCTOBER

an ed o e
Th , Winnic
ep oach ha
i a o e. B i
be een he a
a an objec e

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