Relational context and psychoanalytic linkings: an interview with Lewis Aron

The article presents an interview with Lewis Aron, who is considered one of the most significant figures within the field of relational psychoanalysis in reason of his theoretical contributions and institutional commitments. The interview is introduced by a brief critical review of Aron’s works; starting from the concept of "psychoanalytic journey", it entails several subjects that are peculiar to the interviewee’s theoretical frame: the continuity and discontinuity of contemporary psychoanalysis compared to the classical theory; the relationship between theoretical changes in psychoanalysis and the various cultural, historical, and geographical contexts; the moltiplicity of therapeutic keys - such as insight, erlebnis, linking, relatedness - in relation to the different psychoanalytic models. Aron addresses the questions on psychoanalytic history, theory and methods through a basically pragmatic and constructivist approach. He also emphasizes some contradictions that are in his own view intrinsic to the psychoanalytic cure, to the extent that he proposes "contextualism" as the foundation of the relational model in psychoanalysis.

Keywords: Relational psychoanalysis, psychoanalytic theory, history of psychoanalysis, bipersonal psychology, mutuality

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Adriano Schimmenti, Michele S. Piccolo, Il contesto relazionale: intervista a Lewis Aron in "INTERAZIONI" 1/2011, pp 111-135, DOI: 10.3280/INT2011-001010