Richard M. Billow's Selected Papers on Psychoanalysis and Group Process

Changing Our Minds

Tzachi Slonim

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2021
• Print ISBN: 9780367743369
• eBook ISBN: 9781000365405
• Topic: Psychology
• Subtopic: Abnormal Psychology
• Index: Psychology

This comprehensive volume presents Richard M. Billow's unique contributions to the theory and technique of psychotherapy, along with summaries and explications by the volume's editor, Tzachi Slonim.

Through their behavior, therapists define the clinical culture: how relationships are to be regarded and the depth to which narratives and exchanges may be considered. Known for his integration of Bion's metapsychology with contemporary psychoanalysis, Billow extends our understanding of "relational" to include the emotional relationships people have with individual and collective ideas, and the behaviors attached to these ideas. "Doing our work" (the title of the last section) involves the therapist's whole being, including cognitions, dreams, words, deeds, and very presence—mental and somatic. Drawing on Lacan, Billow suggests that therapeutic work ought to include a willingness to penetrate other minds with provocative, controversial ideas. His clinical vignettes portray a masterly clinician-in-action, describing his evolving feelings, thoughts, and assessments.

Billow's intimate knowledge of Bionian theory, coupled with his down-to-earth demeanour and clear writing, allows him to explicate and expand upon Bion's important contributions in a manner accessible to the novice and expert therapist alike. With one eye on therapeutic process, and the other on each participant including the therapist himself, Billow invites each of us to change our minds.

Index

Note: Page numbers followed by “n” denote endnotes.

• adolescent group tests forbidden realties 112–114
• adversarial interpersonal situations 79
• affective dimension, nuclear idea 98
• Agassi, Joseph 3
• AGMs see attention-getting mechanisms (AGMs)
• antagonism 103, 147, 148, 150, 153, 207
• Anthony, E. J. 93
• “antic disposition” 169
• anti-therapeutic behavior 5
• “approach to meaning” 228
• Aron, L. 10, 21, 22, 26
• attention-getting mechanisms (AGMs) 201, 243
  • definition and formulation 244–245
  • to diagnostic and research findings 243–244
  • first group session 240–242, 245–249
  • relief, retribution, and reparation 250–251
  • second group session 249–250
  • self-defeating 251–252
  • situating therapist 252
• attention-seeking mechanisms 252
  • patterns 201
  • self-defeating 243–244
• authenticity 45, 130, 134–136, 153, 175, 216, 221
  • sincerity and 84
  • therapist’s 16, 38

• Balint, M. 93
• Barrow...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Series Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• Acknowledgments
• Permissions acknowledgments
• Series editor’s foreword
• Introduction: changing our minds
• Section I It’s all about “Me”
• Section II For the love of K
• Section III Group process: moving towards K
• Section IV Impasses and opportunities
• Section V Doing our work
• Epilogue
• Bibliography
• Index