GETTING IT TOGETHER: A Guide to Modern Psychological Analysis

by Robert B. Ewen ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 1, 1976

Expressing a touching faith that ""understanding the techniques of psychological analysis (can) resolve the personal hang-ups from which social and international hang-ups develop,"" Ewen sets out to spread the modified Freudian word on the origins of neuroses (in parental hangups and children's faulty interpretations of parental messages), their manifestation in various inappropriate behaviors and their perpetuation with the help of defense mechanisms, ""the heroin on which neurotics become hooked."" Despite the ambitious claims, the frequent political allusions which are too hypothetical and nonspecific to be useful, and the unnatural sprinkling of ""hip"" colloquialisms, Ewen does present a reasonable and convincing picture of the psychodynamics posited in ""insight therapy"" (his term, in opposition to behavior modification, reality therapy and other symptom-oriented schools); the connections he makes in the case histories cited as examples always seem to make sense; and even his dream interpretations avoid being dogmatic or far-fetched. But, unfortunately, his approach is too superficial (the basic Freudian theory that supports his framework is never mentioned) and his scope too narrow to make this a satisfactory traditionalist answer to Hall's behaviorist slant in Why We Do What We Do (1973).

Pub Date: Feb. 1, 1976

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: 192

Publisher: Franklin Watts

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1976

Categories: NONFICTION