Review of Learning process in psychoanalytic supervision: Complexities and challenges.

Reviews the book, Learning process in psychoanalytic supervision: Complexities and challenges by Paul A. DeWald (see record 1987-97784-000). This book is a wonderful contribution to the field of supervision. It is the only book available that presents the actual supervision sessions of one ongoing supervisee with one long-term psychoanalytic patient as they were transcribed. DeWald also offers a review of the supervisory literature, his view of the supervisory process, his supervisory reports, and a chapter from the supervisee discussing her experience. The book is refreshing in that the supervisor does not present himself as perfect, and he does acknowledge mistakes he made in the comments after each set of process notes. There are some criticisms of the book to be made. First, the reviewer was not able to determine the frequency of the patient's sessions or the supervisory sessions. Second, the author's framework is classically Freudian. While this is not a problem, it is important that the reader be aware of the point of view. Third, the author seems ambivalent about the role of the patient's ethnicity and culture in her neurotic stance. These comments aside, Learning process in psychoanalytic supervision is an excellent book, and certainly one any supervisor would want to read. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Reuniting the psychic couple in analytic training and practice: Theoretical reflections.

The author discusses the problematic dichotomy that has evolved between "paternal" and "maternal" approaches enacted in psychoanalytic training and practice. He argues that this dichotomy stems not only from reasoned theoretical debate, but also from the need for analysts to do further emotional work in reuniting the 'primal psychic couple' and integrating the "law of the father" with the 'love of the mother.' Because much of this work is done unconsciously, it is further discussed in terms of a collaboration between the conscious ego and the 'Unconscious Other,' and contextualized by examining how the concept of the "unconscious" has evolved from a 'seething cauldron of impulses' that must be tamed, to an "organ of perception" from which much can be learned. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Supervision by telephone: An innovation in psychoanalytic training--a roundtable discussion.

Supervision using the telephone was the topic at a roundtable discussion during the 2005 Spring meeting of Division 39 (Psychoanalysis) of the American Psychological Association. Areas of agreement that emerged from the discussion among the panelists and the audience included the following: (a) that some face-to-face contact to supplement telephone supervision is desirable; (b) that the process and relational fit between the supervisee and the supervisor is more important than whether supervision is over the telephone on in person; (c) that parallel process is important in supervision; (d) that the supervisory alliance is important; (e) that telephone supervision is essential in distance learning programs, and (f) that telephone supervision permits exposure to diverse viewpoints that might otherwise not be available. Telephone supervision is frequently used but rarely discussed. Panelists all felt that the topic needs further discussion and must be seriously considered in training programs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The relevance of a psychoanalytic perspective in exploring religious and spiritual identity in psychotherapy.

The attempt to make meaning of the soul is inherent to psychoanalytic inquiry, despite its historical diminution of religion and spirituality. Feminist ideology and multicultural psychology have played a critical role in challenging traditional psychoanalytic conceptions of the practice of religion and spirituality as pathological and/or regressive. Contemporary psychoanalysis that emphasizes two-person psychology, and the intersubjective aspects of the analytic space has also allowed for more open inquiry into the spiritual lives of clients and therapists. Both psychoanalysis and spirituality share the goal of a search for particular aspects of one's identity. This search for one's real or true self becomes particularly poignant for both the therapist and the client, as it is highly reliant on the therapist's and the client's specific religious and spiritual contexts. This paper examines the development of identity as influenced by religious and spiritual beliefs. The author discusses a clinical case to illustrate the complex interaction between religious traditions and individual experiences of religion and spirituality, and related implications of a contemporary psychoanalytic approach to psychotherapy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The analytic environment in times of bodily dysfunction: The effect of psychoanalytic psychosomatic theories.

This article examines the analytic environment in which psychoanalytic work occurs when patients struggle with complex somatic experiences, such as disease or physiological dysfunction. Patients express fantasies and beliefs about the etiology of their somatic experiences; they elaborate theories about why infertility, irritable bowel disease, or some other disease, syndrome, or crisis is happening to them. I consider these to be patients’ multiply determined, fantasy-saturated psychosomatic theories, and suggest that the analyst’s understanding of patients’ ideas about their somatic experiences is organized by the analyst’s both articulated and not articulated psychosomatic theories. Using brief clinical vignettes, I highlight the potentially constricting effect of clinicians’ theories on their analyses of patients’ psychosomatic theories. I examine psychoanalytic theories of psychosomatics, suggesting that adherence to the theories we have, which often posit linear psychogenesis of somatic phenomena, can result in collusion with, rather than analysis of, the psychic stances reflected by patients’ theories. To address the problematic adherence to our theories, and characterize a less constricting clinical and theoretical stance, I critique aspects of the theories and suggest directions for replenishing them. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

How you play the game: On game as play and play as game in the psychoanalytic process.

This article proposes that all communications of patients in psychoanalytic psychotherapy and psychoanalysis are distributed along two coexisting dimensions which are designated "gaming" and "playing." It is suggested that these reflect two different aspects of the underlying therapeutic process, both of which are always present but to varying degrees at different times. "Playing" refers to the symbolic play with thoughts and fantasies, occurring during moments of free association and fantasy play with toys. At these times, the transference appears relatively positive and sublimated, and the therapeutic work consists predominantly of recall and reconstruction of anamnestic material often related to neurotic issues. "Gaming" characterizes periods of repetition of repressed conflicts within the transference neurosis, with highly intensified responses to the therapist with whom and around whom fantasies and conflicts, often of a characterological nature, are reexperienced. These are frequently expressed through action including structured games with children, acting in, and acting out. Clinical illustrations from the treatment of an adult and a child are discussed in relation to these processes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Reuniting the psychic couple in analytic training and practice: A candidate's experience.

In the course of training at a comparative psychoanalytic institute, the author fixed upon a technical question: how to find optimal psychological distance from her patients. She struggled to integrate the diverse perspectives that the literature provided on this question. She also became aware of a conflictual phantasy of a polarizing internal mother and father that underlay her interest in the question. A dream about her work with a control patient eventually allowed her, with the aid of both supervisor and personal analyst, to work through the phantasy, and to bring her internal "psychic couple" into creative contact with one another. As a result, her capacity to analyze her patient increased. The author concludes that when supervisors and seminar leaders (in addition to the candidate's analyst) make themselves available to unconscious aspects of a candidate's learning process, institutes provide a more spacious container for psychoanalytic development. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Incest and the borderline syndrome: The mediating role of identity.

This article reviews psychoanalytic theory, clinical studies, and empirical investigations regarding the pathological effects of father-daughter incest. This literature suggests strong links between childhood incest and serious psychopathological sequelae, particularly borderline personality disorder. I propose a model for understanding the impact of incest, using the concept of identity as a mediating construct. Particular emphasis is placed on the role played by incest in the disruption of the developing boundary between internal and external reality. Such defects may result in the failure of age-appropriate divestment of the illusion of omnipotent control and the inappropriate persistence of efforts to control others. Thus, such disruptions may account for major aspects of borderline syndrome including identity diffusion, affective instability, and primitive defenses. A case vignette is presented as an illustration of the model's cogency with respect to the treatment of a borderline incest victim. Theoretical, treatment, and research implications are noted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

One With the Wind: A Comment on Strenger's (2004) "Of Potholes and Bends: A Meditation on Psychoanalysis and Motorcycle Riding".

Rightly, I believe, does Carlo Strenger (see record 2004-21113-014) focus on the need, in life and in psychoanalysis, to look forward and not backward, to trust that good and competent teachers will guide individuals until they can guide themselves. In motorcycle riding, such guidance, as Strenger makes clear, has its roots in a caring desire to help the neophyte motorcyclist--not unlike what a therapist must bring to his or her work. And, as is obvious, whom one selects as a coach, or analyst, is crucial; in motorcycling, one trusts one's very life to a teacher. Rightly does Strenger relate this capacity to trust to Winnicott's (and, I might add, Erikson's) understanding of a child's earliest relationships. In this short yet interesting meditation, Strenger takes us through the developmental stages of learning to master the motorcycle. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Contemporary American psychoanalysis: A profession? Increasing the role of research in psychoanalysis.

The simmering crisis confronting American psychoanalysis today is, in part, a function of fundamental theoretical and clinical disagreements within psychoanalysis itself. Psychoanalytic training, which conveys the special knowledge of our profession, and its application to techniques of treatment have become fragmented and frayed; boundaries have lost definition and our qualification as a profession is vitiated. Our diminished status is reflected in reduced public support and our smaller share of the patient population. Debate seems unable to resolve these disagreements. Acknowledgment of this reduced status creates the need and the opportunity for an increased role for research in psychoanalysis and the development of an analytic research enterprise capable of exploring for empirical resolutions of basic questions and disputes. Such a concerted effort to define the psychoanalytic enterprise through empirically supported basic tenets is necessary to avoid further dissipation of the markers of our psychoanalytic identity, both as individuals and as a profession. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A Classic in Psychotherapy Integration Revisited: The Dynamics of Psychotherapy in the Light of Learning Theory.

Discusses the history of psychoanalytic treatment and the dynamics of psychotherapy. The essential psychodynamic principles on which psychoanalytic treatments rest have solid observational foundations: 1) during treatment unconscious (repressed) material becomes conscious; 2) the mobilization of unconscious material is achieved mainly by interpretation of material emerging during free association and by the patient's emotional interpersonal experiences in the therapeutic situation (transference); 3) the patient shows resistance against recognizing unconscious content; and 4) it is only natural that the neurotic patient will sooner or later direct his typical neurotic attitude toward his therapist. Current studies give encouragement and hope that we shall eventually be able to understand more adequately this intricate interpersonal process and to account for therapeutic successes and failures. In the field of psychotherapy the long overdue observation of the therapeutic process by nonparticipant observers is turning out to be the required methodological tool. At present, we are witnessing the beginnings of a most promising integration of psychoanalytic theory and practice of the psychotherapies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The work of culture: Symbolic transformation in psychoanalysis and anthropology.

Reviews the book, The work of culture: Symbolic transformation in psychoanalysis and anthropology by Gananath Obeyesekere (1990). The reviewer states that the book offers the most sophisticated demonstration yet of the relevance of Freudian psychoanalysis to cultural interpretation by a scholar whose sensitivity to cultural differences should reassure the reader that this will be no mere "reduction" of variable symbols and meanings to the invariant properties of the dynamic unconscious. The four parts of the book are expanded versions of the Lewis Henry Morgan lectures, which Obeyesekere delivered at the University of Rochester. Throughout the book, Obeyesekere explores what he calls "symbolic remove"--the process through which symbolic forms existing at the cultural level. are created and recreated through the minds of individuals. Symbols thus created are regressive because of their ontogenesis in individual development and unconscious processes, while also being progressive, in that the unconscious thought transforms the archaic motivations of early experience and looks forward to their realization in experience of the sacred. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Ritual and spontaneity in the psychoanalytic process: A dialectical constructivist point of view.

Review of book: Irwin Hoffman. Ritual and Spontaneity in the Psychoanalytic Process: A Dialectical Constructivist Point of View. Hillsdale, NJ: Analytic Press, 1998, 288 pp. Reviewed by Arnold D. Richards. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An examination of learning processes during critical incident training: Implications for the development of adaptable trainees.

Three experiments are reported that examined the process by which trainees learn decision-making skills during a critical incident training program. Formal theories of category learning were used to identify two processes that may be responsible for the acquisition of decision-making skills: rule learning and exemplar learning. Experiments 1 and 2 used the process dissociation procedure (L. L. Jacoby, 1998) to evaluate the contribution of these processes to performance. The results suggest that trainees used a mixture of rule and exemplar learning. Furthermore, these learning processes were influenced by different aspects of training structure and design. The goal of Experiment 3 was to develop training techniques that enable trainees to use a rule adaptively. Trainees were tested on cases that represented exceptions to the rule. Unexpectedly, the results suggest that providing general instruction regarding the kinds of conditions in which a decision rule does not apply caused them to fixate on the specific conditions mentioned and impaired their ability to identify other conditions in which the rule might not apply. The theoretical, methodological, and practical implications of the results are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychoanalysis in the undergraduate curriculum: The treatment of psychoanalytic theory in abnormal psychology texts.

Reviews 4 books on the topic of psychoanalytic theory in abnormal psychology texts. The purpose of this review is to encourage this process by evaluating some of the resources available for academic psychologists to teach psychoanalysis to undergraduate psychology students. The reviewer reviews several texts commonly employed in teaching undergraduate abnormal psychology and psychopathology courses, with the aim of evaluating the extent to which they accurately reflect the breadth and complexity of psychoanalytic thought as it applies to these areas of inquiry. The books reviewed here were chosen on the basis of two criteria: (a) They are popular, widely used undergraduate abnormal psychology texts; and (b) they represent a range of perspectives on psychoanalysis, with some books written from a psychodynamic perspective, and others generally opposed to the psychoanalytic view. Each text is reviewed in three general areas. First, the reviewer evaluates the extent to which each thoroughly and accurately discusses basic psychoanalytic theory as it presents various models of mental functioning. Treatment of key psychoanalytic concepts such as ego development and defenses, compromise formation, symptom substitution, fixation and regression, and the psychosexual stages is evaluated, as is the extent to which each work attempts to integrate the object-relations perspective into its discussion. Second, the reviewer reviews each text's presentation of the psychodynamic model for selected areas of psychopathology (e.g., depression, schizophrenia, addiction and addictive behaviors, character pathology, and sexual disorders). Finally, the extent to which each work discusses the relationship of basic psychoanalytic theory to the use of projective tests such as the Rorschach and the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) is considered, as is each text's treatment of psychoanalytic concepts underlying the development of the medical model and the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III, 1980). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The saturated self: Dilemmas of identity in contemporary life.

Reviews the book, The saturated self: Dilemmas of identity in contemporary life by Kenneth J. Gergen (see record 1991-97621-000). There is, perhaps, no other concept as seminal for psychology as the self. For this reason alone, Kenneth Gergen's book represents an important contribution to our understanding of this influential concept. However, Gergen's vision is so broad, his arguments so compelling, and the implications so revolutionary, that the work defies confinement exclusively within the walls of academia. In essence, Gergen is articulating his vision of a postmodern world, and he lays an invitation squarely before the reader to come and partake. The conception of the self as private and autonomous is the focus of Gergen's postmodern challenge. In his chapter, "Social Saturation and the Populated Self," Gergen postulates that technological innovation in contemporary society has made possible a rapid proliferation of relationships. This he refers to as the "process of social saturation." Gergen's book constitutes a substantive contribution to psychology's on going understanding of the self. Copious examples are provided throughout, drawing on and extending scholarly debates. Also included are anecdotes and evidences from such far ranging domains as art, film, music, literature, and architecture. These not only clarify and reinforce his arguments, but also illustrate the scope and practicality of the position he espouses. Although readers may not embrace the gestalt of Gergen's vision of a postmodern culture, they are certain to find this book to be a provocative and rewarding read. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

When the shoe is on the other foot: A qualitative study of intern-level trainees’ perceived learning from clients.

Twelve trainees (3 men and 9 women) who had recently completed predoctoral internships at a university counseling center were interviewed about what they had learned from clients. Data were analyzed using a consensual qualitative research method. Participants reported learning things about doing therapy, themselves, client dynamics, human nature, the therapy relationship, and the usefulness of supervision. In addition, participants highlighted the importance of consultation and self-reflection to help them recognize what they learned. Implications for practice and research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Therapists' cognitive complexity: Review of theoretical models and development of an integrated approach for training.

Therapists' cognitive complexity can influence a variety of clinical and educational processes, from how they make decisions to their engagement in classes and supervision. To date, cognitive complexity models have not been adapted or advanced to meet the demands of clinical training. We provide a review and critique of the current cognitive complexity models and examine the measures typically associated with these models. We also introduce a new model, the Therapists' Cognitive Complexity Model, which includes three components of therapists' cognitive complexity: session thoughts, metacognition, and epistemic cognitions. Implications for therapist training and suggestions for future research are provided. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Victimized daughters: Incest and the development of the female self.

Reviews the book, Victimized daughters: Incest and the development of the female self by Janet Liebman Jacobs (see record 1994-98214-000) that draws on interview data from 50 women to illustrate the impact of childhood incest on female development. The research design uses questionnaire and in-depth interview data that allows for both quantitative and qualitative analyses (Armsworth, 1993). The sample size of 50 is a reasonable number for such content-rich data, and the representation of members of different socioeconomic, ethnic, sexual orientation, and religious groups increases the generalizability and relevance of the findings. Jacobs does not, however, present empirical findings from the interviews, other than preliminary demographics; rather, she uses quotations from the interviews throughout the book to support different generalizations and hypotheses. She thoughtfully addresses the current controversy about delayed memory recall, emphasizing both its political/historical context and its clinical/scientific ramifications. Like Herman (1981, 1992), Jacobs identifies childhood incest as firmly rooted in patriarchy, and her understanding of the psychological and emotional sequelae of childhood incest is organized around the impact of this patriarchal context on feminine identity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Self-Transformation and the unconscious in contemporary psychoanalytic therapy: The Problem of "Depth" Within a Relational and Intersubjective Frame of Reference.

Relational and intersubjective conceptions are compared with earlier models of psychoanalytic theory and practice, and a question is posed: Can an experience-near intersubjective field, cocreated by patient and therapist, accommodate an unconscious "depth" dimension? The authors consider intersubjectivity as the confluence of both parties' subjective self-with-other narratives, however deeply rooted they may be in individually unique developmental experience. These sources of psychological activation are discussed in terms of converging metaphoric pathways to the mutual understanding of self-narratives that are unconscious for patient and/or therapist, and thus their influence is presumably, yet not actually, unavailable to the intersubjective field. Case materials illustrate the roles of shared metaphor and the therapist's own subjectivity in the therapeutic process. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)