ABSTRACT
The Suffering of Couples and Families addresses suffering in couples and families from the perspective of the link, that is, from an intersubjective perspective. There, we argue that psychic suffering is necessarily link suffering, since all psychic life develops in the context of links. At the same time, approaching psychoanalytic practice from the viewpoint of suffering implies devoting ourselves to the alleviation of psychic pain without focusing on psychopathologies or diagnostic classifications, but without dismissing them either. Such an approach requires that we analyze the complexity of suffering derived from link conflicts, from unconscious pacts and alliances. Two vignettes on current chief complaints among couples provide clinical material to reflect on these ideas.
