Psychoanalysis in focus / David Livingstone Smith.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Smith, David Livingstone, 1953-

Series:

Counselling & psychotherapy in focus

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Psychoanalysis.

Physical Description:

157 pages ; 22 cm.

Place of Publication:

London ; Thousand Oaks, Calif. : SAGE, 2003.

Summary:

Psychoanalysis in Focus is a much-needed introduction to the major criticisms of psychoanalysis as a theory and as a practice. The book encourages psychoanalysts, psychotherapists and counsellors to adopt a more balanced view of their own discipline and aims to help students engage in critical debate during their training. Outlining the main criticisms from outside the world of psychotherapy, David Livingstone Smith explores the contentions of philosophers such as Karl Popper and Adolf Grunbaum. He assesses the scientific credibility of psychoanalysis, explaining the difficulty in obtaining evidence, using the experimental methods of research favoured by the scientific community. Against this he sets the opposing view that psychoanalysis is not, and should not strive to be, a science and highlights the philosophical and ethical shortcomings which accompany this view. The book also examines contemporary issues facing practitioners and the validity of key psychoanalytic concepts such as: the unconscious, free association, transference, countertransference. The future of psychoanalysis depends on the ability of practitioners to analyse its flaws and to answer its critics. Psychoanalysis in Focus provides a highly readable and accessible introduction which will help trainees and practitioners grasp the key debates.

Contents:

2 Scientific Validity in Focus 9

3 Scientific Support and Therapeutic Outcome in Focus 47

4 Hermeneutics in Focus 65

5 The Unconscious and Free Association in Focus 82

6 Transference and Countertransference in Focus 109

7 Integrity in Focus 127

8 The Future of an Illusion? 138.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [144]-152) and index.

ISBN:

0761961933

0761961941

OCLC:

52208834