Winnicott and the paradoxes of intersubjectivity

Abstract

This article examines D. W. Winnicott's contributions to inter‐subjectivity theory and the elaboration of these contributions by several contemporary scholars. Following an exploration of the precursors to today's intersubjectivity theory found in Winnicott's developmental formulations, the author reviews several instances of the analyst's clinical work. This review suggests that Winnicott had difficulty with the therapeutic management of aggression—the affect he believed to be essential to the development of a capacity for intersubjective relatedness. The article concludes with the implications of this finding for clinical social work practice.

Notes

Jeffrey S. Applegate, D.S.W. is Professor at the Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research, Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, PA.