Relational Concepts in Psychoanalysis: An Integration [Hardcover]

Stephen A. Mitchell (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

This is a marvelous book. Mitchell argues that over the past few decades psychoanalysis has undergone a paradigm shift. The change is nothing short of a revolution in thought which radically alters our understanding of the mind and human relationships...Mitchell is a persuasive writer who skilfully draws together the central ideas from object relations theory, interpersonal psychoanalysis and the self-psychologies. He argues that despite their many differences these 'newer' traditions have one central theme in common--they all stress the central importance of personal relationships and human interaction. In this new paradigm the focus of psychoanalytic study shifts away from the vicissitudes of the instincts to persons in their interactions with others...The book is scholarly and informative, but yet it is readable, and enjoyably so. Mitchell does a wonderful job in bringing together the relational concepts embedded in the work of Bowlby, Klein, Winnicott, Fairbairn, Kohut, and others...This is an excellent book which brings together the relational concepts that now characterise psychotherapy. This is the leading edge of psychoanalysis, and Mitchell's work certainly helps it to advance.
--C. R. Whyte (British Journal of Psychiatry )

Brilliant...The gradual unfolding of Mitchell's new theory is accomplished through a dazzling series of thoughtful and penetrating critiques and integrations of psychoanalytic theorizing past and present. Mitchell is extraordinarily well read in psychoanalytic theory, and he has a wide grasp of philosophy, political theory, and literature as well. He writes with clarity and wit, making a long, largely theoretical book as easy to read as any. His text will be an important source of useful ideas and criticism for the continuing development of psychoanalytic theory. The opportunity to share in his wide and searching understanding should not be missed by anyone interested in the field.
--Robert L. Hatcher, Ph.D. (Psychoanalytic Books )

A well-written, incisive, and very intelligent effort at integrating compatible aspects of the many neo-Freudian psychoanalytic theorists e.g., Sullivan, Klein, Winnicott, Loewald, Schafer, Kohut, Kernberg, Gedo, and Pine...Importantly, [Mitchell] shows how far modern analytic theory has departed from Freud's original instinctual drive theory...His work is a contemporary beacon in the tumultuous seas of psychological thought since Freud. Essential reading. (Choice )

Readers will find Mitchell to be a persuasive advocate for the centrality of relational thinking in psychoanalytic theory and clinical practice...Thought-provoking...As an added bonus, Mitchell writes very well, and his use of metaphor and wit make this book a pleasure to read.
--Saul E. Rosenberg, Ph.D. (American Journal of Psychiatry )

Product Details

• Hardcover: 326 pages
• Publisher: Harvard University Press (November 15, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0674754115
• ISBN-13: 978-0674754119
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #423,727 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Impressively clear and careful, June 26, 2000

By 

whomi (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Relational Concepts in Psychoanalysis: An Integration (Hardcover)

This book is one of the most clear, careful, and rigorous contemporary psychoanalytic theoretical texts around. Mitchell writes with the logic and incisiveness of an analytic philosopher or logician. Although one might wish his depictions of specific clinical examples were a bit more textured and colorful, the theoretical arguments here are some of the best and most clearly stated around. I hope that more contemporary psychoanalytic theorists will become able to achieve this level of theoretical clarity and rigor.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a brilliant synthesis, January 14, 2007

By 

Craig Chalquist, PhD, author of TERRAPSYCHOLO... (Bay Area, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Relational Concepts in Psychoanalysis: An Integration (Hardcover)

Stephen Mitchell was one of the original group of analysts who began to differentiate (along with Jay Greenberg) between drive/defense models of the self (e.g., Freud) and relational models. In this book Mitchell applies the relational perspective to several areas of clinical concern, including sexuality, childhood development, narcissism, and theories of change and healing. I recommend this book in the Theories of Depth Psychology graduate courses I teach; it is clear and refreshing and brings analytic thought a new and vitalizing emphasis on image, metaphor, story, and other aspects of the weave of relations we all remain in even when alone.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars most influential book in psychoanalysis I've read, November 17, 2004

By 

object seeker - See all my reviews

This review is from: Relational Concepts in Psychoanalysis: An Integration (Hardcover)

I know people say this all the time, but I cannot recommend this book enough. As a developing clinician, this book has given me a tremendous advantage in conceptualizing cases. Mitchell draws on the best of the best in psychoanalysis and presents a very clear, convincing, and amazingly helpful integration.