This book is an outcome of the European Conference on the theme of transsexualism held in Catania, Italy in 2006. It shows how psychoanalysis can reflect, discuss, dialogue and formulate useful insights on one of the most challenging situations that confront the mental health community.

'From time to time we listen to some curious views on psychoanalysis as an old fashioned and useless discipline, more important from an historical perspective than as a tool for understanding human life in its normal and pathological dimensions, as well as an effective therapeutic instrument. This book on transsexualism and transvestism shows exactly how psychoanalysis can reflect, discuss, dialogue and formulate useful insights on one of the most challenging situations that nowadays confront all members of the mental health community. Giovanna Ambrosio assembled this group of distinguished analytic thinkers, all of them with deep experience in the field of human sexuality, and asked them to contribute both to the attempt of understanding these relatively new forms of expression of human sexuality and what kind of interrelations psychoanalysis can offer. My own experience in the supervision of analytic psychotherapy with these patients shows me how simultaneously difficult and fascinating is the journey of each analyst or therapist who attempts to treat those patients. All the main areas are highlighted in this most useful and thoughtful book which I strongly recommend and which shows once again the extraordinary work carried out by the IPA's Committee on Women and Psychoanalysis.'- Claudio Eizirik, President International Psychoanalytical AssociationContributors: Jacqueline Amati-Mehler, Simona Argentieri, Colette Chiland, Domenico di Ceglie, Eulalia Torras de Bea, Estela V. Welldon