Bion and his first analyst, John Rickman (1891–1951): A revisitation of their relationship in the light of Rickman's personality and scientific production and of Bion's letters to him (1939–1951)

Abstract

The author throws a new light on a neglected aspect of W.R. Bion's life and work, i.e. his relationship to his first analyst, John Rickman, by making reference not only to the latter's career and scientific work, but also to the 27 letters which Bion wrote to him in the years 1939–1951 that he found in the Archives of the British Psychoanalytical Society. As the letters show, in the close collaboration they developed during the Second World War as army psychiatrists, we can find not only the origins of the new concept of “therapeutic community” and of Bion's later book Experiences in groups, but also see how crucial their unique relationship was to the realization of such important goals.

Keywords:

• W.R. Bion
• J. Rickman
• war psychiatry
• Northfield
• therapeutic community
• group psychotherapy

Acknowledgements

A revised version of the paper presented at the “Bion in Boston” conference, July 23–26, 2009, organized by Howard Levine and Lawrence Brown. I thank Andrea Sabbadini for putting me in contact with Ken Robinson, and Ken Robinson for opening up for me the Archives of the British Psychoanalytical Society. I am also very grateful to Ross Lazar (Munich) for his help in deciphering Bion's handwriting and in reassessing the role and significance of his relationship to Rickman. Last but not least, Riccardo Steiner's support of my work was also a great help.