In a time of theoretical expansion and change, don’t throw babies out with the bath water

ABSTRACT

Various challenges faced by the psychoanalyst when moving from “on the couch” work to “off the couch” work are raised and discussed. It is argued that the biggest challenges concern methodology: what now constitutes the analytic setting and field, and what counts as analytic data? The author describes some of the methodological challenges she has faced so far in studying climate change denial at individual, group, cultural and political levels. She raises potential pitfalls with “off the couch” work, that include overgeneralisations and assuming one can directly apply insights gained “on the couch” to wider contexts. In conclusion, she reflects that her training and practice working with individuals on the couch has proved bedrock in working “off the couch”.

KEYWORDS:

• methodology
• climate change
• theoretical development

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 Although as Hanna Segal pointed out knowing the truth of something is in itself therapeutic.

2 Quoted by Suskind (2004).