Clara M. Thompsons Early Years and Professional Awakening

Ann DErcole tells the story of Clara M. Thompson, drawing extensively on unpublished archival interviews and correspondence, to provide a full and complex picture of an early American pioneer of psychoanalysis. The book begins by exploring Thompsons youth, which was steeped in evangelical Christianity, and conveys the difficulty that Thompson experienced as she resisted the restrictive conventions of femininity prevalent at the time. Despite this, Thompsons talent as a student continually shines through, as DErcole gives readers an account of Thompsons life at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, where she would work alongside the innovative psychiatrist, Adolf Meyer. Thompsons ground-breaking theoretical and clinical achievements continue to be celebrated, as DErcole explores Thompsons life-changing experiences whilst in psychoanalytic treatment with Sndor Ferenczi. By allowing her voice to prevail, this book recognizes Thompsons vital work in the formulation of interpersonal psychoanalysis, rendering it invaluable for interpersonal psychoanalysts wishing to understand Thompsons role in the development of the school.