An Introduction to Melanie Klein

In this study group, participants will be introduced to the life and theoretical contributions of Melanie Klein (1882-1960). We will begin by reviewing the cultural, historical, and biographical influences on Klein and her clinical work. Emphasis will be placed on her significant divergences from Freudian metapsychology and the role this played in shaping later psychoanalytic theory, especially Object Relations Theory. First readings will review key Kleinian ideas such as unconscious phantasy and how internal objects shape the development of personality and emotional disturbances. We then review Klein's Paranoid-Schizoid (P/D) and Depressive positions and discuss their utility in understanding personality organization and defenses. We will discuss Klein's reformulations of the Oedipus Complex and her insights into emotional states such as envy and gratitude. Participants will be encouraged to reflect on the therapeutic relationship through a Kleinian lens, especially experiences of transference, countertransference, and projective identification.