The Dead Mother: The Work of Andre Green

TheDeadMotherbringstogetheroriginalessaysinhonourofAndréGreen.Writtenbydistinguishedpsychoanalysts，thecollectiondevelopsthethemeofhismostfamouspaperofthesametitle，anddescribesthevalueofthedeadmothertootherareasofclinicalinterest：psychicreality，borderlinephenomena，passionsandidentification.Theconceptofthe'deadmother'describesaclinicalphenomenon，sometimesdifficulttoidentify，butalwayspresentinasubstantialnumberofpatients.Itdescribesaprocessbywhichtheimageofalivingandlovingmotheristransformedintoadistantfigure;atoneless，practicallyinanimate，deadparent.Inreality，themotherremainsalive，butshehaspsychically'died'forthechild.Thisproducesadepressioninthechild，whocarriesthesefeelingswithinhimintoadultlife，astheexperienceofthelossofthemother'sloveisfollowedbythelossofmeaninginlife.Nothingmakessenseanymoreforthechild，butlifeseemstocontinueundertheappearanceofnormality.TheDeadMotherisavaluablecontributiontoliteratureonpsychoanalyticandpsychotheraputicapproachestogrief，lossanddepression.