Search results for ""free association books""

After forty years' experience in the field of psychotherapy, Wyn Bramley presents a clinical memoir, which is simultaneously 'light' but serious, outlining all that happens (or fails to happen) that is not covered by books or training. She draws on her vast experience and uses material from real cases to illustrate and explore some of the unexpected manholes and creative rule-breaking which has been necessary to her work. Wyn Bramley has worked in the mental health field for more than 50 years. In this book she invites experienced therapists and counsellors to consider becoming more self-directed practitioners, grateful to but not dependent on their old training and ideology. She advocates a coming together of the various disciplines as opposed to the old factionalism, believing that modern psychodynamic principles and concepts can be assimilated into all modalities. She takes old ideas in this field that have stood the test of time and places them, along with lively case material, in a contemporary context. She also brings us up to date with the latest Relational thinking, which readers may have missed in their training. Her central conviction is that mature therapists should dare to open up their own internal world to the work, so that the therapy is deeper and richer. She describes in plain, accessible language, and with clinical illustrations, how this may be accomplished. Attention is given to the controversial issue of disorders of personality, the best way to do short term therapy in the NHS, the differences between couple and individual therapy, and how defence mechanisms and the developmental perspective operate in the consulting room of a modern self-reflective practitioner.

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David Whitwell's thesis is that it is not conventional psychiatric treatment that is key to recovery but non-specific aspects of care such as support, safety, general health, good relationships. The author's conclusion is that recovery should be adopted as the goal of mental health services. Treatment then becomes just one option that can be used in certain situations, for example acute psychiatry becomes a particular set of procedures for dealing with essentially urgent and dangerous situations - as a special kind of first aid which needs to be fitted into the individual's long-term recovery plan.

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Childhood autism is a fascinating and disturbing disorder that has given rise to contentious debates, which often end in impasse. Here, Denys Ribas reviews this enigmatic condition, focusing on the work of Hans Asperger, which paved the way for institutional care and has wider importance than has often been recognized, and on testimonies provided by former sufferers from autism and on the analytic psychotherapy of a child. The author examines all the theories under discussion today, including developments in genetics and the access to symbolisation and, in a constant concern with clinical practice, instigates a constructive debate between the traditionally conflicting views of psychoanalysis and the cognitive sciences. Written in a lucid style that explains the concepts with reference to a glossary, this book will be relevant not only to students, professionals and parents who are dealing with the psychic difficulties of autistic children and the challenge of treating them, but also to anyone with a general interest in the development of thought and language.

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Maguire is a specialist dermatologist, trained in London and Paris, and an analytical psychologist, trained at the C. G. Jung Institute, Zur ch, who lectures widely and is in private practice in London. In this text, she examines the unconscious psychic background of acute, but mainly chronic skin d

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The rapid development of reproductive technologies has questioned many essential concepts belonging to our symbolic universe, such as human reproduction, motherhood and fatherhood; the transmission of the biological and cultural inheritance of mankind and the constitution of the psychic subject. These concepts, however, are supported by ideologies and value systems which hide that they are but theoretical constructions; consequently, they are taken as describing the "natural" function of reproduction. In this sense, the technological development takes the form of an increasing medicalization of the human body, of the life, sexuality and desire of people, especially of women. All this requires that we think critically about the conditions of possibility of these technologies and their psychological and ethical implications. In this book the author provides a detailed and rigorous analysis which locates the reproductive technologies in the historical context of the progressive technification of the management of human life, and their relation to the social and medical discourses on femininity, maternity and infertility. From a psychoanalytic point of view, culture and its discontents, violence, domination, are related intimately to the problematic character of sexuality, which includes the uncertainties of our desires. Social, medical, anthropological and literary discourses try to define "maternal desire" in order to control it: the definitions which capture it in their nets are means to dominate desire as an object and to "construct" the desiring subject. But psychoanalysis (through the associations of the subjects in question) shows that we face here an impossible question: one thing is the enunciated "demand", what is said about one's own desire ("I want a child"), and a very different one is the unconscious desire which disturbs the conscious discourse and shows that there can be psychological obstacles that interfere with the accomplishment of conscious wishes, conflicts and contradictions emerging through the women's words. In this book, the circulation of representations between the individual imaginary and collective myths is the basis of a multidisciplinary complex and original point of view, which confronts a variety of discourses arising from psychoanalysis, medicine, journalism, ethnology, mythology and literature.

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This work is about bridging the current deeply-held divide between sentience and reason. It focuses on the pragmatic role of sentient experience and its unceasing and inseparable interplay with the exercise of reason. Part I of the book deals first with the need for synthesizing the hitherto separate "truth-finding" knowledge traditions: the third-personal scientific-technological, and the first-personal humanistic-wisdom tradition. A conceptual framework for a mind reality is then proposed. Drawing from the unifying natural laws in current physical and biological sciences, the mind reality is portrayed in terms of one interlocking open dynamic system with both a manifested and a covert aspect. In this entire system, each individual mind constantly "co-creates" and "co-evolves" with other collective or group minds at various levels. It is also presumed that the basic unit of interaction in the mind reality is thought or intent. Supporting evidence from psychology, parapsychology and the ancient perennial philosophies is presented. The second part of the book addresses the pragmatic consequences of the proposed mind reality. At the individual level, it is argued that sentient experience can serve the function of guiding, affirming and fostering an individual's life's work. A selection of existing first-personal accounts is presented to illustrate this point. At the collective level, the current dominant collective thought of "new capitalism" has the unfortunate consequences for humanity's sense of freedom, education and morality. Such consequences pertain to the "exteriorization" and the "deconstruction" of the intrinsic self and intrinsic values. To avoid this to happen, a collective effort at changing consciousness becomes necessary: the core task lies with the closure of the reason and sentience divide.

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This title describes the symbolic process in child's play at each stage from infancy onwards. In addition it shows how particular symbols can facilitate the healing of blocks that may arise in each stage of psychological development. The book is in two parts, In part one, each of the chapters describes a new phase of the symbolic process as it emerges in typical fantasies that accompany a stage of normal development. In part two, each chapter is devoted to the exposition of the particular healing role played by symbols at different stages of development in psychotherapy with infants, children, adolescents and adults.

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Many women are afraid of speaking in public or professional situations. This book examines the reasons for this fear and the various forms it can take, and gives an account of the factors, often social, which dissuade so many women from speaking, such as the fear of being the centre of attention and of saying the wrong things. There is analysis and discussion of women's fear of public speaking, and the book suggests practical methods for combatting such fears. It gives advice as to how arguments and everyday communication can be handled more confidently and effectively, and suggests more effective means of everyday conversation and communication.

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This work examines the social, political and health policy contexts within which alcohol treatment policy has emerged and changed since 1950. Three themes are highlighted as particularly relevant to an examination of policy trends: The emergence and evolution of a "policy community" spear-headed by psychiatrists in the 1960s but broadening to include other profession and the voluntary sector by the 1980s. This text traces professional changes and tensions and their effects on the formation and implementation of policy into the '90s. The role of research which influenced the nature and direction of policy. Changing approaches to alcohol treatment reveal the increasing uses of research as the rationale for social and health policy decisions and illustrate the move towards a contractor relationship between research workers and policy makers. The changing conceptions and competing paradigms of the problem tracing the effect of ideological shifts on the balance between treatment responses and prevention and public health approaches to complex social medical problems such as alcoholism. Within these broad themes, the text portrays the pressures and tensions on government departments, the efforts to secure consensus in the formulation and implementation of policy and the importance of understanding the historical-social contexts from which policy emerges.

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Art Therapy is increasingly recognised as an important contributor to psychotherapy and dynamic counselling and is widening its sphere of practice and application. Art Therapists are working not just within traditional psychiatric services but within the fields of social and community care and in specialist areas such as prisons. Increasingly, art therapists are dealing with specific problems ranging from child abuse to eating disorders, often as members of multidisciplinary teams or special units. This new collection represents some of the best and most interesting examples of the widening application of art therapy. The contributors - all experienced art therapists - cover such topics as family trauma, work with children with learning difficulties and with autism, with criminal offenders, anorexics, the sexually abused with people who stammer. The new developments represented in this book have implications not just for the profession of art therapy but also for methods of practice. They point up the challenge of new methodologies which focus on process rather than on the finished image. They remind practitioners how stylistic and aesthetic elements, as well as content, can provide therapeutic insights. Providing a rich diversity of approach, this collection will be required reading for all students and practitioners requiring the broadest and most up-to-date statement of the current status of art therapy.

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This book is neither a textbook nor a critical dictionary but it can be used as both. Its main purpose is to allow the reader to enjoy in the fullest sense studying Winnicott's texts. The book is aimed at anyone, or any group who needs an aide memoire for work: a psychotherapist's and a counsellor's handbook.

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What happens to men when they become fathers? Why do some men get depressed, and how can we identify those who are? What does this mean for their children and their relationships? What can we do about it? Taking in many different perspectives, this book sheds light on the many aspects of postnatal depression in fathers - an unknown subject to many people. The book includes a review of recent studies and research in this area, looking at the effects of postnatal depression on children and relationships, and an investigation into the reasons behind male postnatal depression, including the social and psychoanalytic factors which go some way to explaining why men experience this depression as well as women. The author talks to Michel Odent, a renowned obstetrician, writer and birth expert. His controversial view that men should not be present at childbirth, and that their presence may indeed this may be a trigger for depression, are central to his discussion. She also talks to Adam Jukes, a psychoanalyst with a wealth of experience in working with violent and angry men, who gives fascinating insights into male behaviour. He claims that we simply don't give men the resources they need to deal with a new baby. The book opens up a discussion of diagnosis and treatment through personal stories from both men and women affected by a father's postnatal depression. It will increase awareness of this under-discussed subject and will challenge preconceptions. Postnatal depression in fathers has consequences for families worldwide, and so this is a book which has relevance for everyone.

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Have you ever wondered? * Why it's so hard to get close to a man. * Why don't men express emotions except big ones like anger and frustration? * Why most perversion is male; why most pornography is produced by men for men? Risk taking is male; drinking, drug taking, gambling and infidelity are predominantly the preserve of men? * Why most criminal behavior is perpetrated by men? Why the vast majority of domestic abuse and violence is perpetrated by men? * Why men are so concerned with the size of their penis and its symbolic substitutes - big, powerful cars, status, big houses, big money, and big muscles? * Why can't men tolerate vulnerability? * Why men lie, don't listen, don't do housework, parenting? The answers to these questions, is the aim of this book. The author asks what it means to be a man, and what part masculinity play in men's identity. What is it like to have to spend so much time and energy in managing that identity? Adam Jukes has spent most of his professional life working with troubled and disturbed men, and in 1984 he opened one of the world's first treatment centers to address men's abusive and violent behavior towards women, from verbal and emotional abuse through to stalking and murder. In the following decades that work developed into a clinical examination of masculinity and the author now shares his insights and conclusions with the reader. Juke's conclusions about what constructs masculinity and how it develops may be unpalatable to some but it is also thought provoking and intriguing to anyone who has an interest in these issues whether professional or personal, male or female, wife or lover, sister or brother, husband or father.

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In "The Solution Lies Within", surgeon and psychotherapist, Thierry Janssen examines the daunting task of reconnecting: reconnecting our mind to our body, in order to gain a true sense of well-being, and reconnecting our body to our inner resources, in order to prevent or to heal illness. Through simple often age-old solutions, the author sets out on a fascinating quest, exploring Western and Eastern techniques, favoring a global approach to the human being and advocating a form of holistic medicine based on the cooperation between conventional and complementary or alternative practitioners. Inviting the reader to discover the astounding capacities of human beings, "The Solution Lies Within" is a must-read for anyone interested in his or her health and well-being, in particular for those looking for an alternative to today's trend of over-medication. Based on more than 500 recent scientific studies, the book is broken up into three parts: a mind-based medicine to treat the body, a body-based medicine to treat the mind and, lastly, and an energy-based medicine to treat the body and the mind. Such a work is unprecedented. Avoiding any bias, the author offers a new and original understanding of health and disease. And the clarity of his style deftly transforms a complex subject matter into an enjoyable and highly-readable work.

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People with severe and profound intellectual disabilities should have the opportunity to receive psychoanalytic psychotherapy to deal with their emotional suffering. However, their needs are not always considered. This book is not only about the people officially designated intellectually disabled, but it is also about the ways in which all of us suffer from the limitations which can be discerned from clinical work on the inner world of these individuals. This book provides detailed case accounts that show the ups and downs of the therapeutic process, particularly when dealing with these handicapped individuals. Based on more than 30 years' of practice in the field, this stimulating, innovative, and very moving revised edition examines questions of loss, bereavement, sexual abuse, and the process and meaning of thinking. Many people wondered what actually happened in a therapy session. This landmark book was one of the first to provide verbatim accounts of therapy sessions.

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'There is no doubt a greater awareness now of the significance of twin loss than there was ten years ago. I think that this is largely due to a big increase in articles, radio and television programmes as well as the spread of the Network. The well-known researcher Nancy Segal in the USA has, through her many books, added knowledge to our understanding of twin relationships as well as twin loss. She believes the loss to be highly significant and queries whether for some lone twins it is greater even than that of the loss of a spouse (Segal 2000). Others have written autobiographical material about their loss (Jones 1987; Farmer 1988). In spite of this, there is still ignorance. At a recent book launch for the publication of a book about the loss of a twin through drug taking (Burton-Phillips 2007) someone in the field of education said to a few of us from the Network, that she did not see how a twin who lost their twin at birth could possibly be affected. She asked, 'How would the surviving twin know?' I asked her to imagine how she might feel if told during her childhood that she had been born a twin, but due to her taking all the food' during the pregnancy, her twin had not survived. I suggested that perhaps worse, she might have had her parents make it clear that they wished her twin had been the one to live. Less dramatically, she was asked how she might feel missing someone all her life who 'should have been there' to share it. This question was put by a lone twin who added that she had also had surviving twins born to the family to watch growing up as a pair, while she was without her twin sister. The educationist was honest and said she had never thought of those things before and then freely admitted our comments made her think again' - Joan Woodward, Author.

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The author presents a passionate argument for a therapeutic practice based on the physician's love for the deeply deprived patient. Ian Suttie, a psychiatrist of the Tavistock clinic in the 1930s, advocates a more optimistic view of human nature than traditional Freudian psychology.

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Twin loss presents a unique sense of grief for the surviving twin. Twins have shared their lives with each other from their very first heartbeats. This book addresses the topic of twin loss through sensitive, in-depth interviews with surviving twins. The loss of one’s twin presents a unique sense of grief in that twins have shared their lives with each other from their very first heartbeats, and often share a special bond. These interviews highlight this relationship between twins and the strong sense of grief experienced by the living twin when one of them dies, at any point in their lives. Interviewees describe how they encountered grief and how they found a way forward, sharing deeply personal aspects of their lives along with photos. The title "Living for two" alludes to what many lonely twins experience, that they have been given the chance that their twin did not get, and now must live for two. The surviving twin feels an unconscious expectation to take advantage of life and do something meaningful. Many of the twins also feel that they have their dead twin with them as a strength in life.

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Written in straightforward language, and accessible to the average reader, Discover Attachment Theory is the first of a series of short books which will show how Attachment Theory can be relevant to everybody. Thirty years ago, Joan Woodward coined the phrase `Neurotic Solutions' as a way of describing how we all develop our highly individual `sense of self' as a result of how we respond to our Attachment experiences from birth onwards. In the intervening years, and through her work as a psychotherapist, Woodward became interested in the people who have deeply rooted patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving which come from their `sense of self.' These patterns of behaviour often cause them severe suffering, but they find it too painful and difficult to change. This book outlines what she has learnt. Woodward's purpose is to enable readers to understand and think about the process of `Neurotic Solutions' and to apply what they learn to the ways they relate to themselves and to others. This short book gives her enlightening and highly readable thoughts on `Neurotic Solutions,' updating and clarifying her previous work.

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Donna Haraway analyses accounts, narratives, and stories of the creation of nature, living organisms, and cyborgs (cybernetic components); showing how deeply cultural assumptions penetrate into allegedly value-neutral medical research.

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This book contains 13 main entries on the basic Kleinian concepts - splitting, paranoid-schizoid and depressive positions, projective identification, envy, internal objects - along with numerous entries on subsidiary concepts and the main post-Kleinian writers - Bion, Segal, Rosenfeld, Joseph and Meltzer.

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