Leading articles

THE VIENNA PSYCHOANALYST wants to give not only already internationally established psychoanalysts, but also still unknown psychoanalysts the opportunity to post a self-written and not yet published article on the FrontPage of our online magazine!

Our Users then can leave comments, ask questions or discuss the articles in our forum. Our aim is to provide an international platform where for the first time anyone interested in psychoanalysis can exchange ideas on certain topics.
Articles are welcome in German and/ or English.

If you are interested, please send your article to
leadingarticle@theviennapsychoanalyst.at


(For reasons of readability, the male form is used with personal names, however the female form is also always intended.)

In our interview series "in conversation with“, we will briefly present the authors of the leading articles. We want to give our users the opportunity to read the leading article from a different point of view.


This week we are very happy about Thomas Aichhorn:

Psychoanalyst in private practice; Member of the Vienna Psychoanalytic Society, the International Psychoanalytic Association and of the “Société Européenne pour la Psychanalyse de l´Enfant et Psychanalyse de l´Adolescent”, Paris.
Archivist of the Vienna Psychoanalytic Society and Vice-Chairman of the "Archives of the History of Psychoanalysis".
Publications and lectures on the theory and history of psychoanalysis, the "theory of the general seduction" by Jean Laplanche, adolescent psychoanalysis and on the biography and work of August Aichhorn. Editor of the correspondence Anna Freud - August Aichhorn.



DWP: What led you to psychoanalysis?

THOMAS AICHHORN: I was born in a family "that has made me see it", so I occupied myself with the "enigmatic message", what the psychoanalysis is, what it means to work as a psychoanalyst, since my early childhood. Even though I have in the meantime learned to accept that I´ll never understand it completely, that it is impossible to fully grasp the "enigmatic message," the way I had once thought, it is still keeping me busy - without boring me- with its question or message.


DWP: If you had the opportunity to talk with Sigmund Freud, what would be the topic? Are there any specific questions?

THOMAS AICHHORN: I have no specific questions for Freud. But it would certainly be very entertaining to observe him or to listen to him during a conversation with others.


DWP: Fabric or leather couch?

THOMAS AICHHORN: I use a fabric couch (or better, I make one available), initially it was covered in red leather.


DWP: According to Bruno Bettelheim, who pointed out the importance of fairy tales; will you tell us your favorite fairy tale? And do you recognize parallels between your favorite fairy tale and the development of your own life?

THOMAS AICHHORN: Maybe "The Frog Prince or Iron Henry"? Or "The Story of Caliph Stork"? Both fairy tales are initially about something unknown or a forgotten word. They are about transformation, disenchantment, become conscious and uncovering. Well, that obviously has often to do with my life...


DWP: I dream….

THOMAS AICHHORN: Yes, of course, I´m dreaming - but about what I´m dreaming, I will remain silent.


DWP: At our last question Thomas Aichhorn asks for patience, because he will address it in his leading article.


Thank you very much for this conversation, we are already looking forward to your leading article!