The Enigma of Desire
Sex, Longing, and Belonging in Psychoanalysis
Relational Perspectives Book Series

The Enigma of Desire: Sex, Longing and Belonging in Psychoanalysis, introduces new perspectives on desire and longing, in and outside of the analytic relationship.This exciting volume explores the known and unknown, ghosts and demons, sexuality and lust. Galit Atlas discusses the subjects of sex and desire and explores what she terms the Enigmatic and the Pragmatic aspects of sexuality, longing, female desire, sexual inhibition, pregnancy, parenthood and creativity.

The author focuses on the levels of communication that take place in the most intimate settings: between mothers and their babies; between lovers; in the unconscious bond of two people? in the consulting room, where two individuals sit alone in one room, looking and listening, breathing and dreaming. Atlas examines the ways in which different languages, translations and integrations focus on birth, death, sexuality, and human bonds.

In The Enigma of Desire each chapter opens with a narrative, a therapeutic story which illustrates both the analyst?s and patient?s desires and the ways these interact and emerge in the consulting room. This book will be of interest to anyone who is interested in the intricacies of sex and desire and of great appeal to psychoanalysts, therapists and mental health professionals.

1. Introduction: Desires, Mothers, and Others

Part I. Enigmatic and Pragmatic

2. Ella: The Enigma of Desire

3. Ben and Leo: Excited Idiot

4. Danny: Ghosts and the Maternal Skin

Part II. Enigmatic Knowing

5. Celine: Breaks in Unity

6. Tomaz and Ron: The Enigmatic Language

7. Karen: Words and Silences

8. Galit: Sex, Lies, and Psychoanalysis

Part III. The Unknown

9. Sex and the Kitchen: The Mystery of Female Desire

10. Jo, Simone, and Those We Don’t Yet Know: Three Pregnancies and Psychoanalysis

11. Sophie, Sarah: Dreams, Enactments, and the Enigmatic Future

Epilogue: Death

References

Dr. Galit Atlas is a psychoanalyst and clinical supervisor in private practice in Manhattan. She is on the faculty of theNew York University Postdoctoral Program for Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis and NIP and lectures throughout the United States and Internationally. She is the author of numerous articles and book chapters on gender and sexuality.Dr. Atlas is on the board of directors of the Division of Psychoanalysis of the American Psychological Association.