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

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

This particular volume, like so much of Mitchell’s work, is noteworthy for its sparkling originality and creativity. It is written with obvious care, great honesty, clarity, and structure. . . [It] exhibits many facets of Stephen Mitchell’s ability to create, interpret, and transmit psychoanalytic theory.

- Mark Somerstein, Psychoanalytic Social Work

Relationality imparts new theoretical depth, substance, and complexity to relational psychoanalysis, systematizing its different components and documenting how it has been saturated by various historical strands within psychoanalysis. It especially develops Mitchells sense of the fundamental contributions of Loewald, Fairbairn, and Bowlby. With Enormous respect and even-handed clarity, with often lyrical prose infused with warmth and humor, and with richly elaboraed clinical examples, this book comes from Mitchells own heart yet shows his mind at its most creative, original, and integrative. It signals a new height in his always illuminating writing.

- Nancy J. Chodorow, Ph.D., Author, The Power of Feelings

In this book the relational perspective comes of age. Mitchell brings his supreme confidence in navigating psychoanalytic theories to bear on the evolution of the relational perspective. The relationality of mind is placed in the context of the psychoanalytic tradition and out of it evolves a highly satisfying and elegantly integrated approach tht is respectful of other traditions while casting them in a fresh light. The result is a compelling new psychoanalytic theory for he 21st Century. Relationality is a remarkable achievement of creative scholarship that should be read by every psychodynamic clinician concerned with human relatedness.

- Peter Fonagy, Ph.D., Freud Memorial Professor of Psychoanalysis, University College London

Stephen Mitchells writing is always a delight and an education. In Relationality, with his characteristic lucidity, Mitchell explores the multiple dimensions and nuances of relationality, attachment, intersubjectivity, and systems theory. He shows the voices of Loewald, Fairbairn, Bowlby, Winnicott, and Sullivan converge and can be interwoven. His masterful and creative close reading on Loewald makes him accessible in a brand new way and could even stand on its own. Complementing Mitchells theoretical erudition is a clinical responsiveness equally notable for its responsible restraint. He provides clinical examples of how to make use of ourselves and our spontaneity with respect to thoughtfulness, and he does so without endorsing an anything goes mentality. Mitchell does far more than illuminate theory; in fresh and delightful ways, with grace and compassion, he illuminates people. For any course on relational theory this gem of a book should be at the top of the reading list.

- Susan Coates, Ph.D., Columbia Center for Psychoanalytic Training and Research

Product Description

In his final contribution to the psychoanalytic literature published two months before his untimely death on December 21, 2000, the late Stephen A. Mitchell provided a brilliant synthesis of the interrelated ideas that hover around, and describe aspects of, the relational matrix of human experience. Relationality charts the emergence of the relational perspective in psychoanalysis by reviewing the contributions of Loewald, Fairbairn, Bowlby, and Sullivan, whose voices converge in apprehending the fundamental relationality of mind. Mitchell draws on the multiple dimensions of attachment, intersubjectivity, and systems theory in espousing a clinical approach equally notable for its responsiveness and
responsible restraint. Relationality signals a new height in Mitchell's always illuminating writing (Nancy Chodorow) and marks the coming of age of the relational perspective in psychoanalysis (Peter Fonagy).

Product Details

• Paperback: 200 pages
• Publisher: The Analytic Press; New edition edition (December 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0881634174
• ISBN-13: 978-0881634174
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #418,569 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

55 of 58 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Final Words from a Master, August 31, 2001

By	David Brand PhD (NY, NY USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Relationality: From Attachment to Intersubjectivity (Relational Perspectives Book Series) (Hardcover)

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.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Complex and Accessible, March 21, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Relationality: From Attachment to Intersubjectivity (Relational Perspectives Book Series) (Hardcover)

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.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent book, June 8, 2007

By	Marc A. Stettler (Rio de Janeiro / Brazil) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.