Joshua Lerner, LCSW on the History of Object Relations

Joshua B. Lerner on the History of Object Relations Theory. Object Relations Theory is an important development of psychoanalysis which is widely supported today within the psychoanalytic community. The term object is really a stand-in word for people, as the theory really speaks to the importance of how a person's early relationships, particularly with caregivers, strongly influence their psychological development. The importance Object Relations Theory applies to early relationships is in contrast to Freud's original conception of child development which was understood to be more biologically or instinctually driven. In this Wise Counsel interview, Joshua Lerner, a social worker and psychoanalyst, talks about the historical development of Object Relations Theory; its origins with analysts like Melanie Klein, and how it developed over time under the influence of other analysts including Winnicott, Balint, Fairbairn, and Bowlby.