Customer Reviews

Relationality: From Attachment to Intersubjectivity (Relational Perspectives Book Series)

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This is the final book published by Dr. Mitchell's during his tragically shortened lifetime, and it is a gem.

The main theme is his attempt to integrate contributions from a variety of relational psychoanalysts whose approaches are extremely different from one another. He does this by pointing to the many possible dimensions that simultaneously coexist in any given relationship, and how these various authors focus differentially on one or another aspect. He highlights what he calls the four modes of relatedness, defined as (1) nonreflective interchanges reflecting patterns of interpersonal influence, (2) deeply felt shared emotions where boundaries seem to melt away, (3) roles recognized as conforming to earlier models of the self and important figures, and (4) intersubjective exchanges between individuals recognizing each others' distinct individuality.

He critically and appreciatively reviews the work of major authors, including Loewald, Bowlby, Fairbairn, and others, and attempts to fit their contributions into his heuristic scheme.

I consider the first two chapters, in which Mitchell discusses the work of Hans Loewald, to be among the most moving and penetrating things he ever wrote. One is hard pressed to find a more inspired exposition of the work of Loewald, and I have often thought that Mitchell's immersion in Loewald's work opened up unparalleled areas of creative vision for him. They are my two favorite chapters in all of his writing.

As with all of Dr. Mitchell's writing, discussion of theory is interspersed with pithy and compelling clinical examples. This is an excellent book and an important contribution to current psychoanalytic thinking. I found his heuristic device of Modes 1,2 3, and 4 a bit confusing and somewhat off-putting at times, but it serves his purpose well enough.

Those of us who have cherished Dr. Mitchell's work over the years will savor this book and imagine what might have followed.

Mitchell's book opens up psychoanalysis to various perspectives, seeking to integrate a variety of theories without sacrificing their specificity and unique contributions.

Mitchell cares deeply about pain -- so deeply, in fact, that he eschews jargon where he can, to speak to directly to laymen and experts alike. Particularly helpful here are his explorations of Hans Loewald, whose humane and idiosyncratic vision offers great comfort to those whose deepening investigation of psychonalaysis doesn't always seem to offer more enlightenment, only more confusion. Mitchell, with an eye to that confusion, finds clarity and hope.

I wholeheartedly agree with the two comments made above. His elaborations on H.Loewald's understanding of a non-dualistic perception in which perceiver and perceived are one (in terms of primary process) are especially illuminating. "Loewald argued repeatedly that is a fateful error, which has become a cultural norm, to equate the world of objectivity whith the true, sole reality." "..if language has been drawn to completely into secondary-process functions, if the original affective density of language has been almost completely severed, the result is a functionally competent but affectively dead and empty life."
The french word "connaître" which stand for knowing signifies "to be born with". Has the highly fragmented and intellectualized modern man become a master manipulator of things without ever really knowing anything from the inside out? That could in fact be called a dead and empty life.