

David P. Celani, "Ronald Fairbairn: A Contemporary Introduction" (Routledge, 2024)
Jun 17, 2025
David P. Celani, a retired psychologist and adjunct professor at the Object Relations Institute, delves into Ronald Fairbairn's innovative contributions to Object Relations Theory. He discusses the impact of childhood trauma and the mother’s role on personality development, challenging traditional Freudian concepts. Celani explores dissociation, repression, and their effects on adult relationships, particularly regarding battered women. He emphasizes the therapeutic journey of integrating traumatic memories, framing therapists as vital 'good objects' in healing.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Fairbairn's Radical Challenge to Freud
- Ronald Fairbairn challenged Freud's psychoanalytic model by rejecting libido and the Oedipal crisis concepts.
- His model focused on a child's dependency on the mother and faced hostility, leading to its neglect in psychoanalysis.
Split Ego Structures in Trauma
- Childhood abuse leads to dissociated ego structures: one angry and one hopeful.
- These internal pairs, the abused self and libidinal ego, shape reactions to neglect and trauma.
Hope and Denial in Abused Children
- The libidinal ego holds on to hope for love despite frequent rejection.
- The anti-libidinal ego hides the abuse and seeks acceptance from the rejecting parent.