Browse

This book reviews some of the recent developments and controversies in psychoanalytic theory and technique. Gathering together both previously published articles and extensive new material, it examines such issues as the new psychoanalytic views of homosexuality, bisexuality, and the influence of gender in the analytic relationship. The author explores the application of psychoanalysis to non-clinical fields, including the problem of psychoanalytic research and its clinical implications, the validation of psychoanalytic interventions in the clinical process, and the challenges of psychoanalytic education. He shows how psychoanalysis can be helpful in addressing such cultural problems as socially-sanctioned violence, and asserts the continued relevance of object relations theory and its compatibility with Freud's dual drive theory.

Longing for Home explores the psychological, social, and theological impact of forcibly losing one’s home place and asks two questions: What is it about home that makes its loss so profound? And, How should we think about this theologically? This book explores the notion of home and its loss from the perspectives of four very diverse groups who have suffered forced displacement: an indigenous tribe of Batwa in Uganda, refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Congo and Sudan, American soldiers struggling with PTSD, and homeless persons in the United States. The author uses her own experiences in the Ugandan mountains, ethnographic research in refugee camps in Congo and Sudan and internally displaced persons, published stories of American soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, and life in a transitional facility for homeless persons as windows into these contexts and stories of forced displacement. Through these intense, sometimes tragic encounters, the psychological, social, and theological impact of living without home becomes clear as does the often exclusionary response of the communities in which they seek care. The author suggests that a moral obligation of care grounded in relational postures of hospitality—or predispositions toward the other that precede practices—are at the heart of breaking through social exclusion and helping each to lean into God in ways that invite home of a different kind. The book’s concrete experiences of communities of displacement add a unique element that both challenges and complements psychological and social theories. The end result is a constructive contribution to both practical and public theology.

Ultra-orthodox Jews in Jerusalem are isolated from the secular community that surrounds them not only physically but by their dress, behaviors, and beliefs. Their relationship with secular society is characterized by social, religious, and political tensions. The differences between the ultra-orthodox and secular often pose special difficulties for psychiatrists who attempt to deal with their needs. In this book, two Western-trained psychiatrists discuss their mental health work with this community over the past two decades. With humor and affection they elaborate on some of the factors that make it difficult to treat or even to diagnose the ultra-orthodox, present case studies, and relate their observations of this religious community to the management of mental health services for other fundamentalist, anti-secular groups.

Self-determination theory is grounded in the belief that people work best and are happiest when they feel that they are in control of their own lives. This book explains the ramifications of the theory and provides clinical examples to show that it can be used to motivate patients undergoing treatment for such physical or psychological issues as diabetes management, smoking cessation, post-traumatic stress, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and depression. The first part of the book provides historical background to self-determination theory, showing that it is humanistically oriented and has three decades of empirical research behind it. In the process, the book discusses why humanistic psychology fell out of favor in academic psychology; why “self-help” and New Age books have such perennial popularity; and why it is so important for authorities to support patients' sense of self. The remainder of the book presents many specific case examples to describe the theory's application.

This evaluation of the research on this topic presents the current state of knowledge about suicidal behaviors in children and adolescents, addressing the trends of the past ten years and evaluating available treatment approaches. The book provides an in-depth examination of the problem of suicidal behavior within the context of child and adolescent behavior. Among the developmental issues covered are the evolving capacity for emotional self-regulation, change and stresses in family, peer, and romantic relationships, and developing conceptions of time and death. It also provides an up-to-date review of the controversy surrounding the possible influence of antidepressant medications on suicidal behavior. Within the context of an integrative model of the suicide crisis, the book discusses issues pertaining to assessment, treatment, and prevention.