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The Third in the Room: An enquiry into the role and impact of space in the psychoanalytic process

Part 2 Dissertation 2019
Katie Hutchinson
University of Bath | UK
Following its establishment in the late 19th Century, the discipline of psychoanalysis has had a revolutionary impact on mental health treatment. Whilst psychoanalytical theories have been well-examined, the impact of space on the process remains widely unexplored.

This research paper investigates the impact that the spatial environment of the domestic psychoanalytical consulting room has on the process of psychoanalysis. Using archetypal features of confessional space as a framework, derived from analysis of the Catholic

confessional chamber, this paper analyses the original consulting rooms of the two most famous proponents of psychoanalysis: Sigmund Freud and Carl Gustav Jung. Using the analysts’ original writings as lenses for exploration, in addition to a detailed review of existing literature, this paper endeavours to determine whether space is able to make an active contribution to the psychoanalytical process, assuming the role of the “third in the room”.


Tutor(s)
Prof Vaughan Hart
2019
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