The Power of Phenomenology: Deep Reflections on Psychoanalysis and Existential Philosophy

We are the nameless bounty hunters of contemporary psychoanalysis, heading into an uncertain future. I want it to be just that way. ──George. Atwood

Strollo and Atwood, who have been deeply involved in the field of psychotherapy for many years, have rich clinical experience. They developed a love for philosophy at an early age and were deeply attracted by psychoanalysis, a discipline that can explore the source of human suffering.

However, the more they get involved in psychoanalysis, the more they are dissatisfied that psychoanalysis has been limited to the framework of Cartesian dualism, and more they identify with the holistic existence and intersubjective system that phenomenology and existential philosophy focus on. While the former diagnoses trauma as pathology, the latter maintains that all emotional pain is intertwined in the intersubjective interpersonal context.

This book is the essence of nearly half a century of phenomenological reflection on psychoanalysis by the authors. They use exposition and dialogue to comb through the context of psychoanalysis, psychology, language, philosophy and culture, each of which discusses how to be arrogant and arrogant. Arbitrary, or even innovative but escaping the essence of life. At the same time, these crawling and combing processes also bring constant reflection on phenomenology.

Through the eyes of phenomenology, the two authors show how psychotherapy can respond to patients' suffering and the impermanence of the world. Under the concept of intersubjectivity, even if the client and the therapist are in tit-for-tat confrontation at the treatment site, this kind of "emotional dwelling" and "seeing blood" can help the client achieve significant improvement. This is exactly the characteristic of the intersubjectivity school: if you can face the feelings of the case directly, empathy can truly occur and healing becomes possible.

Interspersed with clinical cases of psychotherapy between solid existential philosophical discussions, "The Power of Phenomenology" brings a complete context of thinking and emotional resonance, whether it is a researcher of existential philosophy, a helper, or someone concerned about life and death, anxiety and trauma, etc. For readers of the topic, this book provides perspectives worth pondering.