Nina Coltart Book order

Nina Coltart's The Baby and the Bathwater is a clear water flowing gently over rocks. Her observations of a career in psychoanalysis span more than thirty years of writing, showing us how the ends of her professional development were contained in the beginnings, and showing us how this was so in detail through her wonderful prose. From the specifics of clinical histories and experiences through her long and interesting career to the chapters on spirituality and philosophy - both personal and clinical examinations of philosophy - she demonstrates the powers of a penetrating mind. Trained at Oxford, Coltart has moved both within and beyond the constraints of several traditions - medicine, psychoanalysis, Christianity, Buddhism - to give us the rarest of gifts - an independent mind. This is a book for the novice because it will give them inspiration and courage to begin, and a book for the war-weary veteran psychotherapist and psychoanalyst because it is rejuvenating.

Not simply a "how to" manual but, rather, an amalgam of down-to-earth practicality that talks about assessment, the pleasures of psychotherapy as opposed to psychoanalysis, details of how to run a practice, vivid clinical stories which don't always turn out well, discussions of Buddhism, and an autobiographical finale on the difficult balance between life and work. Written in deceptively simple language, this comprehensive guide not only encourages beginners on this path, but also offers new perspectives to mid-career and experienced therapists and teachers. The voice of Nina Coltart comes through clearly, as does her love of psychotherapy and her desire for all who practise to experience 'survival-with-enjoyment'. Her unflinching honesty is a joy to read; this is a book that addresses practicalities - right down to the decoration of the therapy room - and talks openly about the many paradoxes of this unique profession. Celebrating psychotherapy and its practitioners, Dr Coltart's book is full of interesting and practical advice that both experienced and novice psychotherapists will find invaluable. This enduring classic has stood the test of time and should be a feature of every aficionado's bookshelf. This reissued classic contains a new Foreword from David E. Scharff and an updated Further Reading section. Book jacket.

In 1982, Nina Coltart gave a paper to the English-Speaking Conference of Psychoanalysts called 'Slouching towards Bethlehem... or Thinking the Unthinkable in Psychoanalysis' which created a stir and brought her to the attention of the psychoanalytic community. Ten years later, she produced her first book - this book - which contains her seminal paper alongside so many others of note. Full of eloquent, meaningful, and provocative clinical stories, Nina Coltart exposes the full truth of the therapeutic process, where an analyst may occasionally stray from orthodox practice but through such lapses may sometimes achieve hitherto unforeseen breakthroughs in treatment. This volume introduced Coltart's characteristic style of journeying through important issues in analytic practice. She elaborates on the use of intuition, the 'special' attention required by an analyst, the value of silence, and of humour, and the importance of psychosomatic processes - the way the body speaks through psychosomatic symptoms. All vitally relevant today and utterly groundbreaking at the time.

The book features clinical vignettes that vividly illustrate various topics, including diagnosis, the superego, and the significance of silence and spirituality. It opens with a renowned essay that closely examines a challenging case involving an elderly patient, detailing Coltart's impactful intervention and the extraordinary outcomes that followed. This blend of personal narrative and professional insight offers a profound exploration of the therapeutic process.