Previous principles of hierarchy, inequality, and duty that defined the relationships between husband, wife, and children have been challenged and often replaced by more fluid bonds of equality, intimacy, emotional self-disclosure, communication, and mutual trust. The key question that has emerged for our times, then, is how exactly do families sustain genuine mutuality, democracy, and strong relationships? Figuring out good answers to this question is the major theme of this book and the origin of the title Mutuality Matters.
Written by leaders in the field of relational integrative psychotherapy, this book offers trainees and experienced therapists a methodology for assisting people in rediscovering their ability to maintain genuine relationships and, thus, better psychological health. This classic edition includes a new preface by Richard G. Erskine that reflects on changes in the field since the book’s first publication. Drawing from Rogers' client-centered therapy, Berne's transactional analysis, Perls' Gestalt therapy, Kohut's self-psychology, and the work of British object-relations theorists, this book accessibly introduces the authors’ Keyhole theory while using real life interchanges between therapists and clients to illustrate key concepts. The second part of the book details the application of this method in therapy work and provides transcripts from seven therapy sessions. These include examples of relational psychotherapy, psychotherapeutic regression, working with a parental introject, couple psychotherapy, as well as detailed explanations of the therapeutic methods. An undoubtable classic, the book’s conversational style makes the theory and methods of a relationally based integrative psychotherapy come alive. This versatile approach to therapy promises to be effective across a wide range of therapeutic situations, making this a valuable book for both students and practicing clinicians throughout the spectrum of mental healthcare providers.
This book examines emerging trends in contemporary psychoanalytic theory and practice, highlighting inter-subjective and relational models of the mind. The author presents vivid and extended clinical vignettes that demonstrate the analyst's use of the self in building clinical momentum and continued development. The author highlights the importance of mutuality and recognition in the development of the self, illustrating the impact of family, the larger group context, and the contribution of the analytic encounter. This book is divided into three sections: First, the contribution of family to development, including some relatively neglected topics, such as the importance of fathers in female development, the role of siblings, the experience of 'only' children or singletons in the family, and the impact of the extended family (including grandparents) upon the individual. A second section examines the influence of unconscious group processes upon individual development and functioning, and includes papers that highlight the contribution of group psychotherapy as a form of treatment.
The number of female offenders in the United States is skyrocketing. Our "tough on crime" approach puts a female offender behind bars, but doesn't consider the factors eading to her incarceration. Female Offenders: Critical Perspectives and Effective Interventions, Second Edition proposes an alternative, one that truly addresses the needs of female offenders and the root issues connected to their maladaptive behaviors, trauma histories, and mental health problems. By focusing on these root issues, this text prepares future correctional managers and supervisors to rehabilitate and empower female offenders to reenter society in a meaningful and productive way.The Second Edition includes chapters written by experts in the field that discuss the diversity of issues facing female offenders in our culture from a variety of perspectives. Grounded in the relevant research and literature, this book blends theory with practice by presenting theories on the rehabilitation of female offenders alongside program models and effective strategies for reentry into society.
From faculty and associates of the Stone Center's Jean Baker Miller Training Institute, this practice-oriented casebook shows how relational-cultural theory (RCT) translates into therapeutic action. Richly textured chapters-all written especially for this volume-explain key concepts of RCT and demonstrate their application with diverse individuals, couples, families, and groups, as well as in institutional settings. Emphasizing that relationship is the work of therapy, case narratives illuminate both the therapist and client factors that promote or interfere with movement toward connection. Highlighted are the ways in which cultural contexts profoundly influence relationships; how growthful connection inevitably includes conflict; and how experienced therapists work on a moment-by-moment basis to engage with and counteract personal and cultural forces of disconnection.
The purpose of this text is to organize the voluminous material on empathy in a coherent and practical manner, filling a gap that exists in the current therapeutic literature. Empathy in Counseling and Psychotherapy: Perspectives and Practices comprehensively examines the function of empathy as it introduces students and practitioners to the potential effectiveness of utilizing empathic understanding in the treatment process. Employing empathy with full recognition of its strengths and limitations promotes sound strategies for enhancing client development. As an integral component of the therapeutic relationship, empathic understanding is indispensable for engaging clients from diverse backgrounds. This cogent work focuses on understanding empathy from a wide range of theoretical perspectives and developing interventions for effectively employing the construct across the course of treatment. The book also presents a new approach for integrating empathy through a Multiple Perspective Model in the therapeutic endeavor. Organized into three sections, the text addresses empathy in the following capacities: *historical and contemporary perspectives and practices in counseling and psychotherapy; *theoretical orientations in counseling and psychotherapy; and *a Multiple Perspective Model in counseling and psychotherapy. This widely appealing volume is designed for use in courses in counseling and therapy techniques, theories of counseling and psychotherapy, and the counseling internship, and is a valuable resource for counselors, psychotherapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, and other related fields of inquiry in the human services.
This book presents compelling empirical evidence, collected in the US and Europe, that how one reacts to others ups and downs may profoundly affect their own mental health. Depression continues to devastate a growing number of lives globally. More than 350 million people worldwide have depression (Smith, 2014). While medications and psychotherapy help many, more solutions are urgently needed. Since social factors are known to be influential, innovative exploration of the interpersonal dimensions of depression is vital. This book explains how expressing greater empathy can help. This book is directed at a broad audience, including everyone seeking better relationships, clients wanting to amplify their recovery experience, as well as clinicians and students interested in helping others who struggle with depression. Schadenfreude (deriving pleasure from others misfortune) helps explain our inordinate interest in others' pain and bad luck. It is why in the news "if it bleeds, it leads," why so much fiction focuses on tragedy, why attention rivets on the latest celebrity arrest or rehab, and why people poor through obituaries. Granted, schadenfreude is not the whole story. Seeking information about potential threats has survival significance. Part of our brains evolved to focus laser-like on even low risk dangers. And peoples huge appetite for bad news about others' lives has its social advantages. When adroitly conveyed, this interest communicates concern and caring. It comforts and connects people. But if the joy that other peoples problems occasionally gives you becomes unveiled, watch out. Nothing hurts more when someones down than seeing their own despair delight the listener or obviously make the listener feel lucky (Im positively thrilled not to be in that fix; better you than me!). The trick, in friendship and other helping relationships, is to dampen expressions of schadenfreude and instead emphasise empathy. But not everyone is skilled at this, which frequently seems to result in interpersonal difficulties and enhanced risk of depression. This book was designed to highlight the perils of excessive schadenfreude when others stumble, as well as the promise of building better relationships through greater expression of freudenfreude (sharing others joy) when others succeed. Understanding these issues may help the reader improve relationships and reduce depressive symptoms, or possibly enable the reader to assist others battle depression more successfully. Long-term recovery depends heavily upon establishing and maintaining an effective support system. Learning how to balance ones selfish and cooperative impulses more thoughtfully can be extremely useful in building a more robust social network. As humanity contends with modern threats, including the hazards of planetary warming, successful solutions require emphasising empathy and our interconnectedness while curbing our short-term, selfish inclinations. Although responding more optimally to depression is the focus of this book, it invites the application of these ideas to even broader concerns.
In Entangled Empathy, scholar and activist Lori Gruen argues that rather than focusing on animal “rights,” we ought to work to make our relationships with animals right by empathetically responding to their needs, interests, desires, vulnerabilities, hopes, and unique perspectives. Pointing out that we are already entangled in complex and life-altering relationships with other animals, Gruen guides readers through a new way of thinking about—and practicing—animal ethics. Gruen describes entangled empathy as a type of caring perception focused on attending to another’s experience of well-being. It is an experiential process involving a blend of emotion and cognition in which we recognize we are in relationships with others and are called upon to be responsive and responsible in these relationships by attending to another. When we engage in entangled empathy we are transformed and in that transformation we can imagine less violent, more meaningful ways of being together.