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Negative Hallucinosis in Wilfred Bion’s Theory of Transformations
152 pages, Paperback
Published November 1, 2024
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October 19, 2025
What distinguishes this volume in the Routledge Bion Studies series is Barahona's skillful use of clinical material to illuminate what might otherwise remain frustratingly abstract. The case examples are not merely illustrative—they are essential to understanding the author's significant contribution. Barahona grapples with the profound clinical challenges presented by patients who employ disobjectalization, dismantling, decathecting, splitting, projection, and other mechanisms "involved in the severing of links between the experience with the object; its perception, the corresponding affect, and the images and meanings" (p. 56).
Analysts who find themselves stuck—or driven mad, even—by such patients will find solace in these pages. Barahona's frank discussion of the countertransference experience normalizes what can feel like unbearable confusion and disorientation in the consulting room. Working with patients who engage in what Barahona terms 'T(-H)' is isolating work; knowing that others have encountered these same affective storms and lived to write about them offers genuine therapeutic value to the clinician.
A Word of Caution: Dr. Barahona's exploration of negative hallucinosis is not a book for the faint of heart. Readers approaching this text will benefit greatly from prior familiarity with Bion's conceptual framework—particularly his notions of alpha and beta elements, as well as his enigmatic concepts of "O" and "K." Those new to Bion would do well to begin with Learning from Experience before tackling this more specialized work.
Analysts who find themselves stuck—or driven mad, even—by such patients will find solace in these pages. Barahona's frank discussion of the countertransference experience normalizes what can feel like unbearable confusion and disorientation in the consulting room. Working with patients who engage in what Barahona terms 'T(-H)' is isolating work; knowing that others have encountered these same affective storms and lived to write about them offers genuine therapeutic value to the clinician.
A Word of Caution: Dr. Barahona's exploration of negative hallucinosis is not a book for the faint of heart. Readers approaching this text will benefit greatly from prior familiarity with Bion's conceptual framework—particularly his notions of alpha and beta elements, as well as his enigmatic concepts of "O" and "K." Those new to Bion would do well to begin with Learning from Experience before tackling this more specialized work.
Displaying 1 of 1 review