Richard Tuch - Psychoanalytic Method in Motion: Controversies and evolution in clinical theory and practice

Psychoanalytic Method in Motion

Psychoanalytic Method in Motion identifies and examines varied controversies about how psychoanalysts believe treatment should be conducted. Irrespective of their particular school of thought, every analyst builds up a repertoire of his or her favored ways of working, which they often come to regard as the most efficacious approach to treatment available. While such differences of opinion are unsettling, and may even threaten to tear the field asunder, this book sees these differences as benefitting psychoanalysis by challenging and improving the ways in which psychoanalysts and psychoanalytic psychotherapists practice their craft.

In this book, Richard Tuch covers the waterfront by examining controversies that further the field and by raising questions that help evolve the treatment, challenging every analyst to rethink what they are doing in the consulting roomand why. Some of the chief controversies explored include:

the enactment debate unparalleled tool or regrettable folly?

whether analysts can be objective enough to justify the offering of interpretations

the advantages and disadvantages of the analysts use of his authority

the ways in which theory influences the analysts search for data blinding him to evidence he implicitly discards as irrelevant

whether any given treatment approach is more efficacious than others

the legitimacy of psychoanalysis itself whether it can truly be considered scientific

whether certain methods of supervision are more effective than others

whether free association can be considered therapeutic in and of itself

the extent to which an analysts preferred clinical theory is a product of his personality

Drawing on ideas from a range of different analytic perspectives, this book is an essential and accessibly written guide to working toward best practice in the analytic setting. Psychoanalytic Method in Motion will appeal greatly to both students and practitioners of psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic psychotherapy.

Richard Tuch is Training and Supervising Analyst at the New Center for Psychoanalysis and the Psychoanalytic Center of California. He is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA. He has written and co-written books and chapters, and his papers appear in all three major psychoanalytic journals. He received the Karl A. Menninger Memorial Award for Psychoanalytic Writing, the Edith Sabshin Award for Teaching, and the Leo Rangell Essay Contest. He is presently Head of Scholarship Section of the Department of the Department of Psychoanalytic Education at the American Psychoanalytic Association.

Psychoanalytic Method in Motion

Controversies and Evolution in Clinical Theory and Practice

Richard Tuch

This book is dedicated to Jim Grotstein

Who lapped up life

Like a dog does his water

Who lived his life

Like there was no tomorrow

Who loved us all

Like mama does her baby

And left us all

Much wiser though heart achy

Contents

Writing a book robs important people in the writers life of his more regular presence; if one hungers to write, its hard to know how to solve this regrettable dilemma. So my first acknowledgment goes to my wife, Sunnye, who has had to put up with my absence while I fashioned yet another volume. My psychiatric training at the Neuropsychiatric Institute at the University of California at Los Angeles was rich with clinical supervision provided by psychoanalysts who generously donated their time and shared their expertise, which much enriched my education and convinced me of the value of the psychoanalytic approach to treatment. Joel Yager headed the residency training program and, while not an analyst himself, was nevertheless open-minded enough to welcome, include, and promote psychoanalysis in the psychiatric residency program. If only heads of training programs nationwide followed his lead, the field of psychiatry would be much better as a result. Aside from those who supervised me at UCLA, others I wish to acknowledge are my supervisors and mentors at the Los Angeles Psychoanalytic Society and Institute, which after merging with the Southern California Psychoanalytic Institute and Society now exists as the New Center for Psychoanalysis. I would like to deeply thank all who contributed to my psychoanalytic education, in particular (in alphabetical order): Dan Borenstein, Rudi Ekstein, Sid Fine, Len Gilman, James Grotstein, Mike Leavitt, Albert Mason, Arthur Ourieff, Leo Rangell, Norman Tabachnick, Larry Warwick, and Robert Zaitlin. If Ive failed to mention anyone, please forgive my oversight. I also wish to acknowledge those at the New Center for Psychoanalysis who were supportive when I served as Dean of Training, as well as others who, throughout the years, have been a joy to know. Certain names immediately spring to mind (in alphabetical order): Richard Baker, Jill Model Barth, Barton Blinder, Alan Compton, Van Dyke DeGolia, Helen Desmond, Susan Donner, Morris Eagle, Rina Freedman, Michael Gales, Linda Goodman, Ken House, Robin Jacobs, Robin Kissell, Lynn Kuttnauer, Joan Lachkar, Mel Lansky, Doryann Lebe, Peter Loewenberg, Regina Pally, Jim Perkins, Myra Pomerantz, Dahlia Nissan Russ, Martha Slagerman, Janet Smith, Julie Tepper, Jeff Seitelman, Sheri Siassi, Heather Silverman, Mark Thompson, Lisa Vitti, and Samuel Wilson. Again, please forgive any oversights. I also wish to acknowledge members at my other institute the Psychoanalytic Center of California who have also been quite helpful to me, including David Brooks, Jennifer Kunst, John Lundgren, Barnet Malin, and Leigh Tobias. I am also indebted to many who have contributed to the psychoanalytic literature whose ideas have greatly stimulated my own thinking. Those who I feel particularly affectionate towards include (in alphabetical order): Salman Akhtar, Fred Busch, Darlene Ehrenberg, Henry Friedman, Larry Friedman, Glen Gabbard, Jay Greenberg, Larry Josephs, Otto Kernberg, Joe Lichtenberg, Bob Michaels, Jack and Kerry Kelly Novick Tom Ogden, Warren Poland, Owen Renik, Arnie Richards, Bob Stolorow, Donnel Stern, and Mitchell Wilson. I have little doubt that I have left worthy names out, and I beg your forgiveness for my failure. Particularly helpful was Susan L. Orbach, who got me thinking about the interpersonal approach to enactments, and P.J. Bonavitacola, a resident-supervisee who provided material for the supervision chapter. Others I owe a debt of gratitude to for contributing to my intellectual education include Ron Britton, Michael Feldman, Arnie Modell, Tom Ogden, and John Steiner. Assuredly I have left names out, which I will regret the day the book leaves the print shop. Finally, I wish to acknowledge my long-term friend Bruce Gainsley, who has been in my life for over 40 years, as well as my children, Alex and Zachary. Thank you, one and all, for all youve provided me all these years.