Introduction

Abstract

Jacques Lacan’s oeuvre covers a period of more than 50 years, during which time he developed a theory that innovated psychoanalytic practice and introduced a new method of reflecting on human subjectivity. His work continues to be read today and is well known for being powerful, intriguing, baroque and complicated, all at the same time. The theory he formulated represents a work in progress of a restless, inquiring mind and needs to be studied with appreciation for how his concepts and ideas evolved over time. The purpose of this book is to clarify his particular approach to the clinic of psychosis. The principal themes running through his work concern the ways in which psychotic experiences are structured and how psychoanalysis can provide a useful framework for the treatment of psychosis.