Inside Lives: Psychoanalysis and the Growth of the Personality

by Margot Waddell

This second edition of the remarkable Inside Lives (expanded with a chapter on the last years of the life cycle) provides a perspective on the relationship between psychoanalytic theory and the nature of human development. Following the major developmental phases from infancy to old age, the author lucidly explores the vital aspects of experience which promote mental and emotional growth and those which impede it. In bringing together a wide range of clinical, non-clinical and literary examples, it offers a detailed and accessible introduction to contemporary psychoanalytic thought and provides a personal and vivid approach to the elusive question of how the personality develops.

Genres: Psychology, Psychoanalysis, Nonfiction

288 pages, Paperback

First published November 10, 1998

Reviews

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

A rich and lucid psychoanalytic narrative for the development of one's internal emotional landscape from in utero through to old age. This book helped to consolidate my understanding of psychoanalytic concepts, particularly relating to Bion's ideas, and the emergence and re-emergence of early states of mind later in life. Keats being my favourite poet I really enjoyed the many references to his work to elucidate psychoanalytic thinking with the romantic. Highly recommend to any psychoanalytically-informed psychotherapist or person in general.

[Leontina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommend for everyone who is interested in psychoanalytical theories of development and wants to know more about the course of contemporary Kleinian thought.

[Rigatoni Baloney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this book last term for TRED 208, studying development and diversity of children. Some of the examples were too "right on" to be credible, but much of what she explored from infancy, to adolesence resonated with me, and it's a wonder there are any functioning adults at all considering all the things that can go wrong in raising a child to adulthood. Examples are from the Tavistock clinic in London.

[Paul Johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an incredibly ambitious book, seeking to give a psycho-analytic perspective on life from birth (or even just before!) to extreme old-age and death. Margot Waddell writes in an interesting and very accessible way and shows how illuminating and Klein- and Bion-influenced perspective on development can be. I think I learnt a lot from this book, but by no means all it had to teach me :-)

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

The clearest account I've read of psychoanalytic thinking on personal development. So lucidly written, and accessible. The generous inclusion of numerous case studies brings all the theory to life, and couches it (scuse pun!) in warm compassionate terms. I got a lot out of this book.

[Joe Warner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read for Human Development and Lifespan in first semester of grad school for counseling. I had no working knowledge of psychodynamic theory and a limited understanding of human development when I began reading this book and found it hard to scale initially. However, after arduous note taking and rereading I began to find great beauty in the weavings of Waddell.

The book is rich and rooted in the humanity's but not out of reach for anyone interested in human development or psychodynamics. Her vignette's can be a little over the top but that's the coloring of interpretation akin to psychodynamics.

Overall my favorite parts had to do with late Adolescence to the later years, but I also enjoyed many parts of earlier stages of life. The theory at the beginning of each chapter can get tedious but it's helpful and repeated over and over again throughout the book.

I gave it 5 stars because it made my semester bearable and brought wonderful perspective to my life, past and present.

[Boris Tizenberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent psychoanalytically minded book that describes psychological development across the life span.

The author mainly pulls from an Objects Relations perspective. She breaks down complicated ideas in simplistic terms and utilizes examples to enhance understanding.

This is very helpful in understanding what is at the forefront at each life stage, and must be addressed in order for development to continue.

[Michael Sasson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Waddell is really grounded in Freud/Klein/Bion and it is always super-interesting and instructive to read a grounded author's explanations of a subject using different source material than might be standard (e.g., Erikson).

I'd love to see Waddell on a panel with Burman https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

[Alberto Tebaldi · Rating 3 out of 5]

written in a interesting, albeit not always easy way to follow for a layman

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Experiences "in utero" have more value than one might imagine, apparently. I'll reflect on this reading expedition when I'm finished, but at the moment I'm surprised that anyone grows up to be a functional adult.

[Veronica · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a really good psychoanalytical book about different stages of development that an individual goes through. There are some notions that are quite interesting and maybe a bit far-off, but there are many statements that are very new for me and was interesting to know.

[Stuart Rosenberg Janssen · Rating 3 out of 5]

While highly influetial, I sometimes found myself at odds with the tone I perceived Waddell to be writing in, but maybe that speaks to my own emotional development?

[Michelle Moloney · Rating 5 out of 5]

A clear account, with beautiful quotes and references to literature. Well worth the read.