Transvestism, Transsexualism in the Psychoanalytic Dimension

'From time to time we listen to some curious views on psychoanalysis as an old fashioned and useless discipline, more important from an historical perspective than as a tool for understanding human life in its normal and pathological dimensions, as well as an effective therapeutic instrument. This book on transsexualism and transvestism shows exactly how psychoanalysis can reflect, discuss, dialogue and formulate useful insights on one of the most challenging situations that nowadays confront all members of the mental health community. Giovanna Ambrosio assembled this group of distinguished analytic thinkers, all of them with deep experience in the field of human sexuality, and asked them to contribute both to the attempt of understanding these relatively new forms of expression of human sexuality and what kind of interrelations psychoanalysis can offer. My own experience in the supervision of analytic psychotherapy with these patients shows me how simultaneously difficult and fascinating is the journey of each analyst or therapist who attempts to treat those patients. All the main areas are highlighted in this most useful and thoughtful book which I strongly recommend and which shows once again the extraordinary work carried out by the IPA's Committee on Women and Psychoanalysis.'- Claudio Eizirik, President International Psychoanalytical AssociationContributors: Jacqueline Amati-Mehler, Simona Argentieri, Colette Chiland, Domenico di Ceglie, Eulalia Torras de Bea, Estela V. Welldon

Giovanna Ambrosio is a full Member and the Secretary of the Italian Psychoanalytical Association, member of the International Psychoanalytical Association, and Chief Editor of the journal 'Psicoanalisi'. She is the current overall Chair of the IPA Committee on Women and Psychoanalysis (COWAP), and former European co-chair of COWAP (2001-2005). Her main scientific interests include the field of the intrapsychic interaction relationship between 'truth and false', the meanings of 'lies', and issues related to the well known problem of the "confusion of tongues". She is author of several essays and editor of two books - 'On Incest: Psychoanalytic Perspectives' and 'Language, Symbolization, and Psychosis', both published by Karnac.