Danilo Serra*
The aim of my contribution is to focus on some decisive aspects of the so called existential psychiatry of Ronald D. Laing (1927-1989). I will begin my presentation by pointing out how Jungian theory played, in a broad sense, a particularly important role in the formation and development of Laing’s thought. In order to achieve this, I will refer in particular to chapter 4 of Intervista sul folle e ill saggio an interview with Laing by Vincenzo Caretti, published in 1979 by Laterza whose english version (Dialogues on Madness and Wisdom. In Conversation with RD Laing), edited by Professor Miles Groth and me, was first published this year in a series edited by The Society for Existential Analysis (SEA) of London. Subsequently, I will consider some distinctive elements of Laingian research.