Psychoanalytic Therapy: Principles and Application

Abstract

Renewed interest in the problems of emotional disturbances and their effects on body changes have made an understanding of basic principles of psychoanalysis a necessity for the modern physician. Drs. Franz Alexander and Thomas M. French with the assistance of the staff of the Chicago Institute of Psychoanalysis have written a compact, readable textbook of the latest developments in the field of dynamic psychiatry. A careful review of 292 patients seen at the institute, many private patients and the broad experiences of Drs. Alexander, French and other staff physicians formed the basis for the book. Emotional and personality changes were viewed from a broad basis that included not only infantile experiences, but adolescent and adult reactions. Unlike the standard psychoanalysis, the authors did not confine themselves to the problems of the chronic neurotic patients, but included a study of acute neurosis and incipient neurosis. From their observations they were able