Summary: <br> Day Conference at the Tavistock Centre, London on 3rd December 2011 - a four part podcast. <br> <br> Part 4 of 4: Estela Welldon - The Dangers of First Love <br> <br> This conference investigated adult love by bringing together the worlds of psychoanalysis, literature, and performance. The most sublime, exhilarating and painful of emotions, love puzzles the intellect and almost defies description. It motivates the best and worst of us, overwhelming us with the ferocity of its demands, while thwarted love and perverse love are at the heart of much violent behaviour and neurotic suffering. <br> <br> Psychoanalysis unlocks the mystery of love by tracing its roots to childhood. The conference will be of interest to anyone involved in adult psychotherapy or counselling, and anyone who has ever been in love. <br> <br> ABSTRACTS <br> <br> Estela Welldon <br> <br> The first love between mother and baby will forever mark future encounters and relationships. Mother-baby love has a unique characteristic in that both parties are involved not only psychologically but also biologically. The possibility exists of a mutual and reciprocal experience of blissful and satisfying union. The expectation is of ‘unconditional love’. This is the situation in the perfect world, however things are not that simple and uncomplicated. In this talk we shall be addressing failures of that 1st love leading to violent relationships and escalating to forensic cases. Using clinical examples from both forensic and non-forensic psychotherapy this paper will show how the first experiences of love mark people for future love encounters, and how new patterns of loving can be established. <br> <br> <br>
