Psikanaliz ve Psikanalitik Terapiler

by Jeremy D. Safran, Gonca Akkaya (Translator), Jon Carlson (Editor)

Psychoanalysis and Psychoanalytic Therapies  provides an overview of the history, practice, and ongoing developments in the field of psychoanalysis.

As the original theory of psychotherapy, psychoanalysis is often presented as a starting point in psychology theory courses. Yet, many people's understanding of psychoanalysis is limited to the classic Freudian approach. Psychoanalysis and  Psychoanalytic Therapies , Second Edition provides an overview of the historical evolution of, and recent advancements in this vital group of theories and approaches to psychotherapy, that have been refined over more than a century of international work by key theorists, researchers, and clinicians.

This primer to psychoanalytic approaches, including clinical strategies and case examples illustrating short‑ and long‑term psychoanalytic treatment, is an essential resource for students and trainees interested in learning about psychoanalysis, as well as experienced clinicians seeking to refresh their knowledge. This new edition has been updated to include more contemporary perspectives on identity, diversity, and intersectionality in the context of psychoanalysis, as well as an expanded discussion of defenses, dream interpretation, recent research, and ongoing developments in the field. 

Genres: Psychology, Counselling, Nonfiction, Psychoanalysis

298 pages, Paperback

First published May 15, 2011

Reviews

[Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

One thing I very much like about this book is the story it tells of the relationship between psychoanalysis and politics. Originally (according to Safran), psychoanalysis was associated with progressive political causes, its first practitioners mostly liberal Jews who were outsiders both to the traditional Jewish communities they came from, and the bourgeois society into which they could not fully assimilate. When they fled from Europe in the 1930s, coming mostly to the US, the UK, and Latin America, they gradually suppressed their political leanings to allow psychoanalysis to establish itself as a discipline (during the 40s and 50s) in environments that were not sympathetic to Left wing politics. This, along with the decision to restrict training to doctors, led to the alignment of psychoanalysis with the establishment, making it removed from the radical potential for social liberation that it had originally embraced. More recently, however, with the rise of biological models of mental disfunction, psychoanalysis was displaced from the heart of psychiatry and the establishment, and became again a counter-cultural force, recapturing some of the progressive political energy it had lost. (The author discusses, in this connection, recent work being done on race and class by clinical analysts.)

This change in context aligns with changes in the discipline itself. The dominant variety of psychoanalysis in its establishment heyday of the 40s, 50s, and early 60s was so called "ego psychology," focussed on the analysis of the ego's defenses prior to delving into the realm of unconscious drive and fantasy. But there are many newer trends which, unlike ego psychology, are essentially "two person" psychologies. That means that they see what happens in the analysis very much in terms of the interaction between patient and therapist, rather than in terms of the intrapsychic conflicts in the patient between id and ego. The reorientation to relationality is part of what makes contemporary varieties of psychoanalysis more political than the traditional ego psychology.

In addition to this, the author gives good overviews of the main concepts of psychoanalysis, the varieties of "change agents" at work in a successful therapy, and the not inconsiderable amount of empirical support that has been gathered for the effectiveness of analytic therapy. (It is, the author claims, simply a myth that there is no evidence for the effectiveness of psychoanalysis.)

My only complaint is that the book is poorly edited and, in places, hastily written. Notwithstanding, I recommend it highly.

[Evan Micheals · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was required reading for my latest subject in my studies of psychotherapy. We were only assigned to read two chapters, but me being me I read the whole book. It is a survey book, giving a brief history and description of contemporary psychotherapy and the future of direction of a psychodynamic approach. I am well read around historical and contemporary psychotherapy, this provided nothing stunning or new.

Safran reiterated the research about the importance of therapeutic alliance as the best predictor of positive outcomes in therapy. At the its base psychotherapy best done is a conversation between two people that reflects depth and warmth. I co-read this along with Boundaries of the Soul: The Practice of Jung’s Psychology, by June Singer. Singer discusses the importance of not having an agenda and favours an organic approach that is led by the analysand.

Chapter 6 discusses the rise in intersectionality and welcomes this development. I am not so sure. What is implied is that a therapist cannot fully understand anyone’s experience who does not belong to someone’s identity group. I agree with this premise, but I am not sure a therapist can fully understand anyone’s experience who does belong to someone’s identity group. I doubt we can fully understand another's lived experience. Implied in this is that a therapists and persons identity group should match. This suits me, as the majority of therapist’s identity groups do not seem to be mine. I would have a niche of white, male, agnostic, cisgender, hetro-sexual, non-indigenous, affluent people as my own. I think it is a bad idea to define ourselves so strongly based on the limited sacred five identities. The maximum that there is more difference in people within groups, than there is between groups holds true. Taken far enough this premise would be to my advantage, so I should not resist it.

I am concerned with Safran’s encouragement of making the American Psychological Association (APA) more active politically. I think this is a mistake. He expresses this in the context that people with training in psychology should not use that training to make enhanced interrogation (torture) more effective. I can understand this sentiment, but once you travel down this path, where do you stop? Last year the APA released a statement last year on ‘toxic masculinity’ which was scientifically suspect. It occurs to me that once you go down the political road at the expense of science, all that you say becomes suspect in the future. If psychotherapist are a political group, I find myself increasingly at odds personally with the mean of the group (who are often far left), being as close to the centre as I am. People should have the freedom to be political as private citizens. I am less comfortable with people speaking on behalf arbitrary groups, especially when unelected.

“Whereas the cognitive therapists conveyed the message to clients that “you’re better off than you think,” the psychodynamic therapists tended to convey the message that “you’re worse off than you think” (p 169). Maybe this is why psychotherapy and the psychodynamic approach fit most comfortably with me. I am not a Pollyanna. I hate the pressure always to be positive. I do not believe that I am a pessimist, but no one talks about the advantages of pessimism. When you are pessimist when you are wrong things turn out better than you thought. Psychotherapy rejects the tyranny of niceness, preferring depth over feeling good.

The book was suitable for what it was aimed at. An introduction to clinicians who had not had much exposure to psychotherapy in the past.

[Gregory Kaplan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Concise but comprehensive coverage. Treats theory and practice. Covers major topics of the unconscious, therapeutic alliance, interpretation, defenses, transference and countertransference, rupture and repair, and mentalization. Helpful summary of attempts to evaluate efficacy.

[Benjamin Matz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a really good brief introduction to psychoanalysis. Safran explained the history and some relevant concepts of psychoanalysis in a simple and clear-cut way. If you want to get a more comprehensive understanding of the field, I would recommend reading Nancy McWilliams's book.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Första fyra kapitlen är väldigt bra, även för den icke insatte, men kapitel fem och framåt blir det mer ett inlägg i en inter-fältlig diskussion.