The Clinical Paradigms of Donald Winnicott and Wilfred Bion

‘If Bion and Winnicott were to have had a discussion, what might it have been like? The need for this conversation to happen has passed down through the analytic generations and has here reached a very challenging and informed expression in the hands of Abram and Hinshelwood.’

Nicola Abel-Hirsch, training and supervising analyst BPaS and author of Bion 365 Quotes

‘This second book in the series authored by Jan Abram and Bob Hinshelwood, fulfils its promise of opening up discussion and debate about the work of Wilfred Bion and Donald W. Winnicott. These two giants of mid-20th Century psychoanalysis were both born before the turn of the 19/20th century but were of different psychoanalytic generations. They were both personally marked by the horrors of the world wars, which in different ways affected their contributions to psychoanalysis, as they each took the influence of Melanie Klein in radically different directions. There is a freshness and immediacy to the to-and-fro of the dialogue between these two experts in their field, which follows the exposition of Bion and Winnicott's central concepts. The dialogue does much to shed light on the often confused equivalences that have been made between such concepts as "holding" in Winnicott and "container-contained" in Bion, both emphasising the differing roots in each conceptual frame and their consequence for clinical practice. The exchanges between Abram and Hinshelwood are exploratory and frank, respectful and challenging. In our discipline, that can sometimes divide along partisan lines, this is a refreshing and informative read.’

Angela Joyce, training and supervising analyst BPaS, former chair The Winnicott Trust

‘Jan Abram and R.D. Hinshelwood are famous for their scholarship on the Winnicott and Kleinian tradition respectively, integrated in a great clinical experience. In this book they compare Winnicott and Bion head-to-head qua background, evolution, major concepts and psychoanalytic practice. The result is refreshing and easy to read. Not only the differences but also the common background (e.g. Klein’s influence), and the intertwinement of their concepts is highlighted. I enjoyed the lively discussion between Abram and Hinshelwood at the end of each part, that often led to surprising new points of view.’

Rudi Vermote,training and supervising analyst, Belgian Psychoanalytic Society, author of Reading Bion