Episode 31. A Lover's Bind: The Psychoanalysis of Romantic Relationships

Lives of the Unconscious. A Podcast on Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy

Lives of the Unconscious

Summary: One couple fights over household responsibilities. Another is trapped in a cycle of jealousy and control. Still another strives for total harmony and oneness—only to be tormented by intense anxiety the moment small differences arise. With the help of the famous psychodynamic concept of collusion, this episode deals with the often conflictual relations between couples. We often encounter in romantic relationships the contours of our unconscious longings and fears, factors that are anchored in our personal history and that are decisive in the selection of a partner. Topics include: the relationship dynamics of jealousy, narcissistic relationship dynamics, as well as helper dynamics.

The next episode will be released on 11/15-22

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Literature Recommendations

• Kernberg, O. (2011). Inseparable Nature of Love and Aggression: Clinical and Theoretical Perspectives. American Psychiatric Association Publishing

• Novakovic, A. (ed. 2016). Couple Dynamics: Psychoanalytic Perspectives in Work with the Individual, the Couple, and the Group. London: Routledge.

• Willi, J. (1984). Couples in Collusion: The Unconscious Dimension in Partner Relationships. Hunter House.

• Wurmser, L. (2008). Hidden Dimension. Psychodynamics in Compulsive Drug Use. Lanham: Jason Aronson