Yes/and, Alan! A Few Additional Thoughts

Psy.D., Philip A. Ringstrom Ph.D. and

doi:10.1080/07351690903206199

Cited by 16 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…parties to dialogue and to tolerate greater vulnerability with one another. Enhanced by improvisation (Ringstrom, 2010b) and consistent with their own personal style and "signature" (Ingram, 1994), psychoanalysts strive to enhance the intimacy enjoyed by couple-if mature intimacy is possible.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Psychoanalysts act like revolutionaries: disrupting defensive styles, clarifying feelings, confronting, interpreting, teasing out layers of unconscious contract, increasing the capacity of the parties to dialogue and to tolerate greater vulnerability with one another. Enhanced by improvisation (Ringstrom, 2010b) and consistent with their own personal style and “signature” (Ingram, 1994), psychoanalysts strive to enhance the intimacy enjoyed by couple—if mature intimacy is possible.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Charles (2002) acknowledged monogamous romantic relationships face challenges but concluded, “as problematic as the ideal of symbiotic monogamy may be, we still attempt to accommodate it.” (p. 131). Other contemporary psychoanalytic writings about love, such as by Benjamin (1988, 2004); Aron (1996), Mitchell (1998), Ringstrom (2010a, 2010b, 2012, 2014), and Hoffman (1996), privileged intersubjectivity and mutuality. Like many of their psychoanalytic contemporaries, these theorists consider mature love as involving mutual recognition where intimacy exists between equal partners who recognize one another as subjects, and as such, as separate.…”

Section: Psychoanalysis and Mature Lovementioning

confidence: 99%

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The geometry of intimacy: Love triangles and couples therapy.

Karbelnig¹

2018

Psychoanalytic Psychology

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Formally known as triangulation processes, love triangles feature prominently in relationshipssometimes providing stability, sometimes vibrancy. Alternatively, they can create instability, even destruction. Integrating the relevant psychoanalytic literature with clinical examples, the author explores the meaning of love triangles interpersonally as well as intrapsychically. Their nature, their role in intimacy, and how they impact psychoanalytically oriented couples therapy are discussed. Two categories of triangulation, defensive and discordant, are delineated and discussed using 4 clinical examples. The investigation responds to earlier concerns, such as from Laing, Phillipson, and Lee (1955), andChodorow (1992), who recommended psychoanalysts-with their unique access to patients' sexual behaviors, dreams, and fantasies-strive to understand romantic, mature love better. Further, the author offers a different angle on Kernberg's (1991) conception that, in mature love, 6 persons metaphorically interact: "the couple, their respective unconscious oedipal rivals, and their respective unconscious oedipal ideals" (Kernberg, 1991, p. 57). Kernberg's model rests on classic psychoanalytic theory; the author's is cross-theoretical and phenomenological. The article shows that triangulation, like endless other behavioral and psychological defense mechanisms, serves to lessen conscious and unconscious fears of intimacy. It also proposes that psychoanalysts confront defensive styles, clarify feelings, and interpret, teasing out layers of unconscious contract, and facilitating dialogue to enhance intimacy in couples.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%