{"title":"‘The mothering instinct’ and Bion: The importance of the link between curiosity and love in the ability to nurture emotional growth","authors":"David Simpson","doi":"10.1111/bjp.12973","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p>In this paper the author explores the emerging model of maternal care which Bion uses to understand analytic function and attitude. Inspired by Bion, he suggests that both curiosity and love are important for mothering capacity in nurturing emotional growth, both in childcare and in analytic work. In his view, of central importance in both of these is the strength of the links to the father or paternal figure. He considers that Bion struggled with a problem in his earlier analytic work, illustrated in his paper ‘On Arrogance’, that followed his prioritisation of curiosity, of seeking knowledge, over its emotional impact. The author suggests that Bion's later change towards a focus on the growth of Being (O), and his recommendations regarding the analyst's attitude, namely a disciplined suspension of memory and desire during psychoanalytic sessions, were aimed at addressing this problem, bringing Bion into line with Klein and Freud.</p>","PeriodicalId":54130,"journal":{"name":"British Journal of Psychotherapy","volume":"41 3","pages":"502-515"},"PeriodicalIF":0.4000,"publicationDate":"2025-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"British Journal of Psychotherapy","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bjp.12973","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q4","JCRName":"PSYCHIATRY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
In this paper the author explores the emerging model of maternal care which Bion uses to understand analytic function and attitude. Inspired by Bion, he suggests that both curiosity and love are important for mothering capacity in nurturing emotional growth, both in childcare and in analytic work. In his view, of central importance in both of these is the strength of the links to the father or paternal figure. He considers that Bion struggled with a problem in his earlier analytic work, illustrated in his paper ‘On Arrogance’, that followed his prioritisation of curiosity, of seeking knowledge, over its emotional impact. The author suggests that Bion's later change towards a focus on the growth of Being (O), and his recommendations regarding the analyst's attitude, namely a disciplined suspension of memory and desire during psychoanalytic sessions, were aimed at addressing this problem, bringing Bion into line with Klein and Freud.
期刊介绍：
The British Journal of Psychotherapy is a journal for psychoanalytic and Jungian-analytic thinkers, with a focus on both innovatory and everyday work on the unconscious in individual, group and institutional practice. As an analytic journal, it has long occupied a unique place in the field of psychotherapy journals with an Editorial Board drawn from a wide range of psychoanalytic, psychoanalytic psychotherapy, psychodynamic, and analytical psychology training organizations. As such, its psychoanalytic frame of reference is wide-ranging and includes all schools of analytic practice. Conscious that many clinicians do not work only in the consulting room, the Journal encourages dialogue between private practice and institutionally based practice. Recognizing that structures and dynamics in each environment differ, the Journal provides a forum for an exploration of their differing potentials and constraints. Mindful of significant change in the wider contemporary context for psychotherapy, and within a changing regulatory framework, the Journal seeks to represent current debate about this context.
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