Summary: Day Conference at the Tavistock Centre, London on 3rd December 2011 - a four part podcast. Part 1 of 4: Lisa Appignanesi (Chair) - All About Love & Introductory Remarks and Bernard Barnett Psychoanalytic Love, Real Love and Love in Anna Karenina. 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. 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. ABSTRACTS Bernard Barnett In my paper I will discuss the nature of love (and to a lesser extent of hate) and take a fresh look at the psychoanalytic relationship and especially the the paradox of psychoanalytic love. I will draw on the work of Freud, Winnicott, Shakespeare, Hardy and especially Tolstoy and with the use of material from one of my own patients, I will explore a few of the many different kinds of love and arrive at some tentative conclusions.
