Tribute to Neville Symington

By Karyn Todes

When I think about personal encounters I had with Neville Symington over many years, I think of a man who was deeply honest in expressing his ideas whilst not the least bit phased by what other people thought of him. It amazed me how he would approach a session with a patient as if he was meeting the person for the first time, with little inclination to remember a prior session . I had a deep respect for his capacity to tolerate but also stand up to extreme forces (paranoid and psychotic) and to think about them in the heat, without responding to the pressure to act. Neville always treated a patients concerns with the utmost respect, and humility. It was a privilege knowing this gentle giant, his soft and vulnerable heart underneath the ferocity of his powerful and foreboding spirit. I will always remember him with love, affection and gratitude, for all that he imparted to me over formative years.

Karyn Todes
Sydney Institute for Psychoanalysis