It is with great sadness that we have come together to say farewell to our much loved Dennis. He was a splendid husband, father, brother, friend and colleague. A man of great integrity, loyalty, intelligence and sensitivity, who achieved fulfilment of his creative potential in his rich and varied life.
He bore the ravages of his two years illness with courage and dignity, and it was only in the last few months that he became increasingly frail, both physically and cognitively. With Dorothy's incredible masterminding of his care and therapeutic regime he was able to remain at home to enjoy the last summer in their beloved garden. It was only in the last fortnight that it had become essential for him to be admitted to Eden Hall for the expert nursing and medical care that was required, and with their help he entered the final phase of the illness quietly, gently and painlessly.
There will be an opportunity at some time in the future to celebrate his professional achievements, probably a combined event between the Institute of Group Analysis and the Group Analytic Practice at which a full appreciation of his work will be possible. But for the moment a brief acknowledgement of his career would seem to be appropriate. Following his qualification in medicine Dennis began, as was said before, his interest in dermatological and psychosomatic disorders but then turned to psychiatry and psychoanalysis. He became a medical assistant at the Cassel Hospital, later a consultant psychotherapist at St George's and then St Mary's Hospitals where with his friend and colleague Jonathan Pedder, he wrote and published An Introduction to Psychotherapy in 1979, later editions following and in the latest third edition, Anthony Bateman became a co-author. This work has become a standard essential reference to all those interested in psychodynamic psychotherapy.
Dennis joined the Group-Analytic Practice at 88 Montagu Mansions in 1972 as an Associate, becoming a full Member of Management in 1975. For the next 25 years he worked in room 1, next door to me in room 2, until his retirement. He retired in July 2000 and this was marked by a Study Day entitled The Matrix and its Social Context.
Dennis was elected to the Presidency of the Group Analytic Society which he held from 1983 to 1988 and also became the Vice President of the European Association for Transcultural Group Analysis.
In his clinical work in addition to individual psychoanalysis and psychotherapy, and small group analysis, he and his dear friend and colleague Meg Sharpe ran block groups meeting at six-weekly intervals at weekends and their close collaboration provided to be most rewarding.
Dennis contributed an excellent chapter on "Assessment and Selection for Groups" in the book entitled The Practice of Group Analysis edited by Jeff Roberts and Malcolm Pines which was published in 1991. In 1994 with his friend and colleague the late Louis Zinkin he edited The Psyche and the Social World. In May 1980 Dennis gave the 22nd Annual S H Foulkes Lecture entitled "Foulkes' Basic Law of Group Dynamics 50 Years On: Abnormality, Injustice and the Renewal of Ethics".
In all he published over 50 papers and for the past two years had worked on collating a selection to be published under the title Resonance and Reciprocity. Our loyal and talented practice secretary June Ansell had almost finished its completion but there was still some editing required and our friend and colleague Jason Maratos volunteered to help for which Dennis was immensely grateful. Pre-publication reviews have been favourable and although it is sad it will have to appear posthumously Dennis was so delighted to know that it had gone well.
If I had to pick out just one of the papers he published it would be "Drowsiness in the Countertransference" as published in the International Review of Psychoanalysis in 1979. It is a courageous and self-revealing account of analytic experience with a focus on a key paradox expressed as, "leave me alone, don't leave me." Dennis recollected that this is almost identical to one of the tramps Estragon in Samuel Becket's Waiting for Godot and of course Becket had been in analysis with Wilfred Bion in earlier years.
There is so much more that could be said but let me end with a fond and rewarding memory of a shared experience between us last year and this resonates to what has been said before. Dennis and I had booked for the Richard Wagner "Ring" Cycle in a concert performance at the Barbican by the English National Opera. The four operas appeared over the year and the concluding "Twilight of the Gods" was performed in November last year. Those of us who are Wagner-philes will remember the final half hour of this incredible work of this four and a half hour opera, from the moment of Siegfried's death with the ensuing wonderful explosive funeral music, through Brunhilde's glorious immolation, to the destruction of the old order of the gods with their lust for power to the new order symbolised by the Redemption through Love with the closing serene apotheosis creating tranquillity and hope. We were both deeply moved, as I am now of course, and no words would have been adequate to express our mutual inspiration.
For Dorothy, Matthew, Marjorie and Barry we offer our love and sincere condolences and for Dennis - your memory will live on in our hearts.
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