ABSTRACT
In the introduction Timothy Keogh and Elizabeth Palacios initially provide an overview of the theory and practice of interpretation. Differences in interpretation in couple and family psychoanalysis are noted. Elizabeth Palacios explains the different perspectives on interpretation in couple and family psychoanalysis in Europe and the importance of link theory. Mary Morgan then describes the contemporary approach to interpretation with couples and families in Great Britain focusing on issues such as projective identification, containment and narcissistic relating. David and Jill Scharff provide a North American perspective describing an approach which focuses on sharing understanding rather than imposing conjecture and on a spiral process where interventions are made at a point of urgency and at a core affective moment. Janine Puget provides a perspective from South America, focusing on the links between couples and families, suggesting how interpretation focuses on the specific meaning of links and the Radical Difference they imply. Finally, Timothy Keogh traces the origins of the approach to interpretation with couples and families in Australasia noting its British heritage and how contemporary approaches have embraced the notion of intersubjectivity.
