The Bi-Personal Field

by Antonino Ferro, Elizabeth Bott Spillius (Introduction)

In The Bi-Personal Field Antonino Ferro sets out his new conceptual system for analysis, considering not only the inner world of the patient but the continued interaction of that world with the inner world of the analyst. The book takes a fresh look at the main aspects of theory and technique in psychoanalysis in the light of Kleinian developments. It reflects the drastic changes due to the thinking of Bion. Illustrated with numerous detailed clinical examples, the author claims that the basic focus of the analytic relationship is the conscious and unconscious interpersonal/ intersubjective processes going on between the analyst and patient.

232 pages, Paperback

First published July 29, 1999

Reviews

[Sevgi Tüccar-Çelik · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked up this book after hearing many positive things about it from colleagues. While it presents itself as a work focused on child analysis, the content is largely centered on Bion’s ideas. In that sense, it does offer a good amount of exposure to his thinking, and some parts help clarify his concepts. However, the way the theories are presented often feels scattered and lacks depth. The book tends to jump from one topic to another without staying with any of them long enough to really develop the ideas.

It’s divided into seven chapters, but many of them feel quite repetitive. The clinical material related to children is included, but usually in short, underdeveloped segments. I was also surprised by the very limited reference to Freud and, especially, Melanie Klein—whose work I expected to see more of, considering the topic.

The author shares their own theoretical perspective throughout the book, but because the narrative shifts so frequently—sometimes discussing Bion, relational ideas, and child cases all within the same page—it becomes hard to follow. Rather than creating a cohesive whole, it often feels like two different books combined.

Overall, the book might be informative for readers interested in Bion, but I found it difficult to stay engaged due to its lack of structure and theoretical clarity.