Wearing My Tutu to Analysis and Other Stories: Learning Psychodynamic Concepts from Life

Wearing My Tutu to Analysis and Other Stories enlivens psychodynamic theory for students, teachers, clinicians, and others eager to learn the ins and outs of practice. Sharing amusing, poignant, and sometimes difficult stories from their personal and professional lives, Kerry Malawista, Anne Adelman, and Catherine Anderson invite readers to explore the complex underpinnings of the profession, along with analytical theory's esoteric nature.

There couldn't be a more appropriate method for illustrating the dynamics of psychoanalysis than the vehicle of story, which is such an integral part of psychodynamic practice. Through their narratives, the authors, who are also practicing analysts, show readers how to incorporate psychodynamic concepts into their work and identify common truths at the root of shared experience. Their approach demystifies dense material and the emotional consequences of intimate practice. Divided into five sections, the book covers psychodynamic theory, the development of ideas, technique, the challenges of treatment, and the experiences of trauma and loss. Each section opens with a brief memoir composed by one of the authors and follows with a discussion of related concepts. Overall the presentation follows a developmental trajectory, opening with stories from early childhood and resolving with present encounters. Their unique approach allows readers to absorb psychodynamic concepts as they unfold across the lifespan.