THE PSYCHOANALYSIS OF SIBLING RELATIONS

In psychoanalysis to date, an intensive examination of conscious and u ncounscious conflict of sibling relations from a historic, theoretical and clinical perspective is still missing. It's problems are examined in four steps: Looking at the history of psychoanalysis one is struck by the discrepancy between frequent and intense sibling conflicts amo ng psychoanalysts and the neglect of this issue in the psychoanalytic literature. One can find this discrepancy already in Freud. Some thoug hts on the dynamics of sibling relations are put forward. The question is addressed of what is so disturbing and threatening about these rel ations that we have to avoid dealing with them. Some clinical, theoret ical and institutional consequences of the neglect of sibling relation s are discussed.