When Nietzche Wept by Irvin Yalom

[Amy]

This book would be enjoyed by a very narrow audience, I think. But I just happen to fall in that category, so I rather enjoyed it. This is a book for psychoanalytic therapists, who really love the intersection of philosophy and psychology, and for whom would get deeply into both of these figures and the first experimentation with psychoanalysis. Also present is Sigmund Freud, Josef Breuer, the original Anna O, Lea Salome, and other such figures of that era.

The story is about how Josef Breuer is convinced to "treat" Nietzche without his awareness, and with a technique that has not yet been developed. Josef is intrigued, and somehow things fall into place for the farce to be played. But the way it develops, is that Josef hopes to draw Nietzche out, by allowing Nietzche to practice the technique on him, reversing the intended roles. The result is a dual "therapy/philosophy" treatment, where both men learn to look at themselves and each other in new lights. It is called a novel of obsession because of their individual loves, but the truth this, they both become rather obsessed with one another and this new developing technique. I feel like I have lost every single one of you by this point. Only psychoanalytic and existential therapy geeks like my self and my compadres would be like - gotta add this!!! But it does raise an interesting question or two for us therapists.

For one, do we become obsessed with our patients? Are we able to give the right amount of intense attunement and still manage to live our lives and go about our days? Today I saw six patients, and I have a seventh in a little more than 30 minutes. These are some of the most intense and attuned moments in my life. But then I will move onto Mac and Cheese and Hebrew. Or the next person. How does one get so extremely and intricately involved and then separate? Well for one, you are in a lot more danger if you fail to live a full life. If you are unhappy and unfulfilled. If you do not have a love relationship currently in your life, or kids to fill your consciousness and your heart. No one would make it if they were single and unhappy in this profession, without that kind of obsession. Because it is already a huge huge draw. Lucky for me, I also love books and TV, so I can stay multi-preoccupied.

The Big Question - Do we fall in love with our patients? I would say every single one, within reason. You kind of have to fall into every single one of these worlds. You have to love their minds and their souls, and we do, for sure. But..... You have to remember what's real. Yalom, who is a psychoanalytic writer and teacher has written many books on psychotherapy, with tenderness and insight. He has written three (?) novels and this is the second one I have read, In every single one, characters become confused by the intimacy, blend their roles (as this one did), and get into heaps of boundary issues. Therapy is powerful and it works. You have to care. Your heart has to be opened. A little bit of a blend happens every time if we are honest. But, you have to keep track of what's real. One foot in the patient's world, and one foot firmly in your own. This is what my favorite psychoanalytic author and teacher Steven Bromberg refers to as s"Standing in the Spaces." The work is powerful and all consuming. It takes one's full heart and for 50+ minutes, one's mind and soul. But therapists need to recharge. And return to the work with full consciousness.

Know what I think about Freud and Breuer and others of that time? If they had 25 patients a week and six patients a day, they would not mistake what they were actually doing. If they were not so in love and obsessed with the new psychological theory they were developing, they would be able to better use it. But - can't say it wasn't fascinating to be a fly on the wall..... If you love psychoanalytic psychology and philosophy, this is the book for you. I'd be curious who else might find it interesting.... Anyway, it is indeed now, after many years..... Off my TBR!

[Robin P]

I really liked Lying on the Couch by this author, great title, since lots of people in the book are lying to themselves and each other. And I appreciated Staring at the Sun: Overcoming the Terror of Death. I used it for a talk about how to deal with death and dying when you don't have a traditional view of Heaven and other religious concepts.