The Matrix of the Mind: Object Relations and the Psychoanalytic Dialogue

Reviews and Endorsements

'The Matrix of the Mind is a book both highly scholarly and long overdue. In it, Dr Thomas H. Ogden establishes himself as a major psychoanalytic theoretician. He generates new psychoanalytic understandings that can be used to remove the alienation within the field and enrich the thinking of not only North American analysts but those who have followed the British object relations theory as well, The Matrix of the Mind is one of the most important psychoanalytic books to appear in many years.'
- L. Bryce Boyer, M.D.

'All who are acquainted with Thomas Ogden's papers on psychoanalysis and with his authoritative book Projective Identification and Psychotherapeutic Technique have eagerly awaited the publication of The Matrix of the Mind. Ogden supplies an approach to Kleinian theory that is both eminently appreciative and incisively critical. He comprehensively and brilliantly surveys the development of the concept of internal objects and relationships. The chapters dealing with winnicott's theoretical and clinical contribution to the history of psychoanalytic thought are particularly profound and original. This eminently readable and thought provoking book will be read with interest not only by dedicated psychotherapeutic workers in varied fields, but also by all those who take an intelligent interest in the way human beings function psychologically.'
- Joyce McDougall, D.Ed.

'Thomas Ogden puts the contributions of Klein, Bion and the British object relations school into a new and refreshing perspective. His approach is unique, innovative, and far-reaching. This book is a brilliant tour-de-force in refining and clarifying the present and continuing importance of object relations theory for psychoanalytic thinking and practice.'
- James S. Grotstein, M.D.

Customer Reviews

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Renato Morais on 30/07/2004

(5 out of 5)

This is one of the best overviews on theoric and clinical aspects of analitic psychoterapy I Know. Ogden follows the Freud/Klein/Bion steps, always putting out the question "But what does this really mean? How can it be used, how can it be helpful in the everyday practice?". It´s never a blind acceptence of the strong or popular line of thougt, so no klein/freud controversies here. He cares about the real thing, not the collour of your club. The winnicott influence is very strong and matrix idea comes from his thinking. It comes like the necessary links to put out an integration of the different lines of thougt in psychoanalysis. This book is simply brilliant and a must have, if you like being intectualy honest in your practice and don´t care mutch about litle wars of "my orientation is better than yours" kind of thing. If only I could give it stars!...