1st Edition

Relational Psychotherapy, Psychoanalysis and Counselling Appraisals and reappraisals

Edited By Del Loewenthal, Andrew Samuels Copyright 2014
    250 Pages 1 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    250 Pages 1 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    Is therapy’s relational turn only something to celebrate? It is a major worldwide trend taking place in all the therapy traditions. But up to now appreciation of these developments has not been twinned with well-informed and constructive critique. Hence practitioners and students have not been able to engage as fully as they might with the complex questions and issues that relational working presents. Relational Psychotherapy, Psychoanalysis and Counselling: Appraisals and reappraisals seeks to redress this balance.

    In this unique book, Del Loewenthal and Andrew Samuels bring together the contributions of writers from several countries and many therapy modalities, all of whom have engaged with what ‘relational’ means – whether to espouse the idea, to urge caution or to engage in sceptical reflection.

    Relational Psychotherapy, Psychoanalysis and Counselling: Appraisals and reappraisals presents clinical work of the highest standard in a way that is moving and draws the reader in. The more intellectual contributions are accessible and respectful, avoiding the polarising tendencies of the profession. At a time when there has been a decline in the provision and standing of the depth therapies across the globe, this book shows that, whatever the criticisms, there is still creative energy in the field. It is hoped that practitioners and students in psychoanalysis, psychotherapy counselling and counselling psychology will welcome this book for its cutting edge content and compassionate tone.

    Part One. Mainly Celebrations. Loewenthal, The Magic of the Relational? An Introduction to Appraising and Reappraising Relational Psychotherapy, Psychoanalysis and Counselling. Orbach, Democratizing Psychoanalysis. Haberlin, Beloved. Nodelman, The Primal Silence. Cornell, The Intricate Intimacies of Psychotherapy and Questions of Self Disclosure. Anderson, Forgiveness – A Relational Process: Research and Reflections. Cowan-Jenssen, Mortality in the Consulting Room. Aron, Relational Psychotherapy in Europe: A View From Across the Atlantic. Ullman, Commentary on Special Issue of Relational Psychoanalysis in Europe: How is Dialogue Different? Part Two. Mainly Critiques. Carmeli, Blass, The Relational Turn in Psychoanalysis: Revolution or Regression? Parker, It’s the Stupid Relationship. Loewenthal, Relational Ethics: From Existentialism to Post-Existentialism. Sanders, Ordinary Stories of Intermingling of Worlds and Doing What is Right: A Person-Centred View. Strong, Staying in Dialogue with CBT. Hargaden, Relational as Theory? Relational as a Principle? Relational as a Symbol of Integration? Samuels, Shadows of the Therapy Relationship. Tudor, A Critical Commentary on ‘The Relational Turn’, Ross, The Relational: A Postmodern Meta-Narrative. Samuels, Afterword – The Personal Equation.

    Biography

    Del Loewenthal is Professor of Psychotherapy and Counselling, and Director of the Research Centre for Therapeutic Education at the University of Roehampton, where he also convenes Doctoral programmes. He is an analytic psychotherapist, chartered psychologist and photographer. He is founding editor of the European Journal of Psychotherapy and Counselling. He is chair of the Universities Psychotherapy and Counselling Association and former founding chair of the UK Council for Psychotherapy Research committee. His publications include Phototherapy and Therapeutic Photography in a Digital Age (Routledge, 2013), Existential Psychotherapy and Counselling after Postmodernism: The Selected Works of Del Loewenthal (Routledge, forthcoming) and, with Robert Snell, Postmodernism for Psychotherapists (Routledge, 2003), among numerous others. Del also has small private practices in Wimbledon and Brighton.

    Andrew Samuels has, for 40 years, been evolving a unique blend of post-Jungian, relational psychoanalytic and humanistic approaches to therapy work. He is recognized internationally as a leading commentator from a psychotherapeutic perspective on political and social problems. His work on the father, sexuality, spirituality and countertransference has also been widely appreciated. He is a Founder Board Member of the International Association for Relational Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy, past chair of the UK Council for Psychotherapy, and co-founder of Psychotherapists and Counsellors for Social Responsibility and also of the Alliance for Counselling and Psychotherapy. He is Professor of Analytical Psychology at Essex University and holds visiting chairs at New York, London and Roehampton Universities. His many books have been translated into 19 languages, including Jung and the Post-Jungians (Routledge, 1985); A Critical Dictionary of Jungian Analysis (Routledge, 1986); The Plural Psyche: Personality, Morality and the Father (Routledge, 1989); The Political Psyche (Routledge, 1993); and Passions, Persons, Psychotherapy, Politics: The selected works of Andrew Samuels (Routledge, forthcoming).

    "Rich and often moving accounts of therapeutic interactions and impasse … The contributions underscore the innovations of the relational school with respect to the practice of psychoanalysis and psychotherapy." - Chana Ullman, clinical psychologist, training psychoanalyst and faculty, Tel Aviv Institute of Contemporary Psychoanalysis, Israel

    "Is the relational a cliché? In the way it has become reified … yes. In the way in which it carries a multitude of meaning – no." - Alistair Ross, Director of Psychodynamic Studies, University Lecturer and Dean of Kellogg College at Oxford University, UK

    "Relational psychoanalysis has a democratic co-created view of the therapeutic relationship. Instead of a sense of the patient as other, as the object of the therapeutic gaze, relational psychoanalysis always sees the person in therapy as an influencing and an influence-able subject." - Susie Orbach, Chair of The Relational School, UK, co-founder of The Women’s Therapy Centre, London and The Women’s Therapy Centre Institute in New York, USA

    "The sense of an acceptance of psychotherapy integration comes through clearly in this collection of papers and fits readily with a relational perspective." - Lewis Aron, Ph.D. Director of the New York University Postdoctoral Program in Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis. Past President of the Division of Psychoanalysis (39) of of the APA; founding President of the IARPP; founding President of the Division of Psychologist-Psychoanalysts of the NYSPA, USA