Michael Balint then and now: a contemporary appraisal

This paper pays tribute to Michael Balint's psychoanalytic contributions, thus far neglected in the United States. To assess the current relevance of some of Balint's pioneering ideas, the paper highlights some of Balint's core concepts. These gain in importance and enduring relevance when viewed from the perspective of Heinz Kohut's psychoanalytic self psychology. The "basic fault" and the unsurpassed depth and subtlety of Balint's description of the archaic transferences are examples of what are of lasting value in his work.