Book description
This book aims at making explicit the scientific theories, termed
paradigms, that the author has found useful in psychoanalysis. It lists
nine paradigms: genetics, neurobiology, attachment theory, infant
research, trauma, their relational model, the family system, the
socio-cultural level, and prehistory. These nine paradigms are presented
in as many chapters. Special attention is devoted to attachment theory,
which the author considers to be the most powerful conceptual tool at
the disposal of the psychoanalyst. He also covers trauma, the relational
model - with special reference to Ferenczi, Bowlby and Fromm. He
explores the effect of cultural evolution, with the advent of
agriculture, on family and character structures and the resulting
discontinuity with the individual, or group's inborn needs, giving rise
to an unnatural environment, and thus to psychopathology and pathology
at a social level, such as war. The consequence of these combined
factors gives rise to the need for psychotherapy, this is explored,
together with the role of the therapist and the therapy of psychoses,
The author believes that, at a social level, psychotherapy may
contribute the re-emergence of society's innate cooperative and
care-giving maternal culture. This title will be found to be of great
interest to the psychoanalyst and psychotherapist alike.
