Interpretation between determinism and hermeneutics. A new approach]

There are two traditional views of psychoanalytic interpretation. One takes its bearings from Freud and regards the present condition of the subject as determined by his/her real past. The objective is then to uncover the "real" history. The other may be termed hermeneutic/creative and has its origins in authors such as C.G. Jung and Paul Ricoeur. It looks upon interpretation as a process of conferring subsequent significance on a fragmentary past devoid of meaning. In an attempt to break away from this rigid dualism, the author describes interpretation in the analysis context as a method of deconstruction with the aim of creating scope for new constructions that are the work of the person undergoing analysis. In the light of this approach interpretation reveals itself as an expression of the unity of constraint (determinism) and freedom (hermeneutics).     

Response to Commentaries: Actions as Perceptual-Conceptual "Gestalts"

The author clarifies the objective and essence of the psychological, or perceptual-cognitive, approach to voluntary movement. According to that approach, voluntary movements are organized and performed as meaningful, perceptible events with bodily and environmental aspects. Body-oriented control is thus not neglected in the perceptual-cognitive approach but is actually an important issue. He further clarifies how material and psychological factors relate to each other in motor control and why they are not considered a coalition of constraints. The central importance of the sparse coding principle for the perceptual-cognitive approach is underlined. Finally, the author argues that the psychological information format is particularly suitable for motion control and stresses the power of the perceptual-cognitive approach to possibly provide a unifying framework for understanding human voluntary movements.     

Loewald's approach to psychoanalytic theory

The author suggests that part of the legacy of Hans Loewald is the nature of his approach to psychoanalytic theory. Loewald carefully considered and selectively utilized the work of theorists from a number of psychoanalytic schools of thought: id psychology, object relations theory, ego psychology, self psychology, and the interpersonal tradition. In addition, he helped pave the way for the current widespread interest in intersubjectivity, and also positioned himself in relation to those who embraced hermeneutics. Through all of this, he maintained a skeptical attitude, embodied in his belief in the complexity of the phenomena to be explored and his commitment to the perspective that psychoanalytic ideas should be open to revision.     

An Ecological Approach to Understanding Delinquency of Youths in Foster Care

This review highlights the importance of an ecological approach to understanding delinquent behaviors of youth in foster care. The author provides clarification on the specific aspects of Ecological Theory that are considered in this review. The author highlights how Brofenbrenner’s Ecological Theory can be useful for various professionals working with these youths. Relevance of the theory in regards to implications for both clinical practice and policy are discussed, in addition to research. The author describes how an ecological approach provides a more comprehensive approach to understanding delinquency of youth in care.     

Using Mixed Methods Approach in Cross-Cultural Studies: Lessons of a Research Experience

The primary purpose of this paper is to share the lessons the first author learnt as a novice researcher while carrying out a comparative culture study focused on exploring differences in organizational culture in units located in two societies in two distinct culture zones, using mixed methods approach, as a part of his doctoral research program. The authors have shared “why” and “how” the first author chose and applied mixed methods approach to conduct the above study, which might be of help to budding researchers, given that mixed methods approach is rarely used by doctoral students in India. The authors have presented three kinds of lessons in this paper, learnt by the first author. The first kind of lessons deals with the methodology, the second one is about the research approach and the last one is related to the qualities of an effective researcher. The authors have also presented “do’s and don’ts” in researching for the benefit of budding researchers. The insights shared in this paper, the authors hope, would be useful and relevant for the researchers employing mixed methods approach. Besides, it might also definitely help budding research scholars make an informed choice of research method to effectively deal with research problems under investigation.     

1. On note taking

In this paper the author explores the theoretical and technical issues relating to taking notes of analytic sessions, using an introspective approach. The paper discusses the lack of a consistent approach to note taking amongst analysts and sets out to demonstrate that systematic note taking can be helpful to the analyst. The author describes his discovery that an initial phase where as much data was recorded as possible did not prove to be reliably helpful in clinical work and initially actively interfered with recall in subsequent sessions. The impact of the nature of the analytic session itself and the focus of the analyst's interest on recall is discussed. The author then describes how he modified his note taking technique to classify information from sessions into four categories which enabled the analyst to select which information to record in notes. The characteristics of memory and its constructive nature are discussed in relation to the problems that arise in making accurate notes of analytic sessions.     

Response to Aron and Atlas: Cooking Up a Storm—Together

The author agrees with the approach taken by Aron and Atlas in which they utilize the idea of the prospective function to emphasize the positive aspects of enactment that can be understood to promote symbolization much as dream work does. She welcomes their appeal to the future as an important aspect of intersubjectivity. The commentary on the case of Sophie aims to show the importance of the patient’s activity in collaborating with the analyst as another way that mutuality and play expand the notion of the creative illusion first offered by Winnicott. She also shows how this approach fosters a different idea of the Third than that used by neo-Kleinians, a point first made by this author and Aron. Finally, she suggests ways this idea of the prospective function can be integrated into our understanding of the Third.     

The Distinctiveness of Pastoral Counseling

The author maintains that if the field of pastoral counseling is to achieve an identity that will satisfy both theologians and psychologists, then two issues must be faced. First, pastoral counselors must resolve the dilemma between the humanistic values of the psychotherapeutic community and the theological values of the religious community. Second, pastoral counselors must articulate the empirical distinctiveness of their practice. The author argues that the value dilemma should be approached through a Christian humanism that integrates the sacred and the secular without collapsing them. The author concludes with a discussion of the cognitive developmental approach as an example of a promising model for pastoral counseling practice and research.     

Narrative Therapy for Chinese Adults Raised as an Only Child

This article explores how to apply narrative therapy to working with Chinese only children. The author first addresses the relevance of viewing Chinese only children as a unique client population and the reasons narrative therapy can fit this population well. The author then uses examples and a brief case study to discuss key applications of this approach in different contexts. Lastly, the author considers potential concerns of using narrative therapy with Chinese only children.     

Tao Psychotherapy: Introducing a New Approach to Humanistic Practice 1

This article introduces a relatively new and unknown approach to humanistic psychotherapy, called Tao Psychotherapy that was founded by a Korean psychiatrist, Dr. Rhee Dongshick, in 1974. Today, Tao psychotherapy is a synthesis of Eastern and Western psychotherapies seeking to integrate psychoanalytic, existential, humanistic, and transpersonal, and Eastern perspectives in a single coherent approach. The article opens with a brief overview of the Tao and Taoism. A sample of writings attributed to Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu is presented as a prelude to a discussion of the meaning of the Tao itself. Following this, the author, a daseinsanalytic psychotherapist who has been studying Tao psychotherapy in South Korea for over two years, presents an overview of this approach, introducing Rhee Dongshick and the Korean Academy of Psychotherapists as well as the distinctive character of this new approach to humanistic practice. The article closes with a reflection on the ancient allegory of the ox herder, as seen in the famous ten ox herder pictures, discussing it from Taoist and Heideggerian perspectives, especially as it is relevant to the process of psychotherapy. Throughout the article the author reflects on the cultural sources of Tao psychotherapy and on the implications of the approach for humanistically attuned, depth psychological thought and practice.     

Postmodernism: A Feminist Critique

In this article the author suggests that progress in philosophy can be conceived through contemporary French theories that propose a new, polysemantic way of thinking. Postmodern philosophy has tried to renew the meaning of the subject, of the subject's identity, and of language and communication. The author believes that the postmodern, feminist approach to those concepts represents significant progress in philosophy. It is, in fact, exactly in the context of feminism—conceived of not just as a women's sociopolitical or scientific activity but as a broad theoretical approach to many areas—that Western philosophy has acquired its most explicit and adequate meaning. A crucial example here is the new historicophilosophical analysis of the concept of gender. The author appeals to Lipovetsky, Lacan, Derrida, Kristeva, and other thinkers to show how postmodern feminism helps to overcome the binary vision of the contemporary world and the dichotomic composition of earlier philosophical thought.     

A modified cognitive-behavioral approach to group therapy with the elderly

Group approaches to treatment subsume a wide variety of techniques. The present article describes a modified cognitive behavioral approach as developed by the author for certain groups of elderly clients. This modified approach incorporates principles of cognitive behavioral therapy in combination with humanistic, and developmental perspectives, while leaving room for addressing psychodynamic issues if desired. It is suggested that such an approach is of value where structured group techniques are called for.     

Phenomenology and Cultural Considerations

The author discusses how his early exposure to Dr. Beck’s work shaped and directed his development as an emerging psychologist. Focusing on Beck’s assessment of hopelessness, the author discusses how he developed an appreciation for both the multidimensionality and multifunctionality of the construct in his own works focusing on cultural differences. The author argues that Beck’s early strategy to use a phenomenological approach to understanding clinical conditions remains important for appreciating the different functional meanings that cognitions might embody for different individuals.     

Ferenczian Elasticity in the Analysis of an Adolescent

Psychoanalytic work with adolescents poses a challenge for analysts who adhere to standard analytic technique as many adolescents who need analytic intervention resist such a structured approach to analysis. The author finds that elasticity of technique is currently widely used by analysts when working with this difficult age group even though they may be unaware that this is, in fact, a Ferenczian technique. Clinical examples are presented to illustrate how frequently the technique is used in cases of resistant, troubled youth. The author outlines an approach that is sensitive to these resistances and makes compromises in technique based on the principle that engaging a troubled youth in a therapeutic venture is preferable to refusing treatment based on the patient’s not being able to adhere to standard analytic technique. In this sense, Ferenczi was an early herald of the type of contemporary analytic work that is practiced currently especially with a difficult population of patients.

     

A psychological approach to human voluntary movement

The author argues that movements are planned, executed, and stored in memory as perceptible events, without regard to efferent patterns. Spontaneous bimanual coordination phenomena are hypothesized to originate on a perceptual-cognitive level, with the muscles automatically tuned in service to preferred perceptible movement properties. The perceptual-cognitive system is hypothesized to control skilled complex movements as well. In perceptual-cognitive control, the full potential of the perceptual-cognitive system could be exploited. Thus, movements could be enormously flexible, with a strong potential for improvisation and creativity. An effective representation might be organized in a surprisingly sparse and economic way. In sum, the author argues that a psychological approach is most promising as a possible unifying perspective for understanding human voluntary movements.     

Analyzing intrapsychic conflict: compromise formation as an organizing principle

The author highlights the idea that analysts' recognition of intrapsychic conflict and compromise formation provides them with a most effective way to formulate their patients' problems. A clinical illustration is presented, with attention to the analyst's use of these concepts during the course of the patient's treatment. The author discusses ways in which his thinking about intrapsychic conflict, compromise formation, and unconscious fantasy informs his approach to clinical work. He emphasizes that viewing compromise formation as the organizing principle of much of mental life gives analysts an effective way to understand the underlying structure of the psychic phenomena in which they are interested.     

The ethics of trauma: re-traumatization in society's approach to the traumatized subject

The paper starts from a question about the subconscious needs and anxieties which may underlie society's current responses to trauma. In particular, the author argues that the interest in the trauma of torture and man-made violence is a reaction to the increasingly dehumanizing and death-denying culture we live in. After proposing that the various categories of societal responses-the author focuses on evaluation, treatment, and advocacy-to traumatized subjects hide defenses of denial, distortion, refusal, with respect to the challenge of mortality, meaning-making, and mourning, the author then makes the thesis that they can derail and corrupt the project of post-traumatic repair. The paper proceeds with an examination of the ethics and politics that are implicit in contemporary North American society's current approach to trauma. The central argument is that the current approach may contain a collective acting out that often ends up being re-traumatizing to the traumatized subjects.