The Humanity of the Psychotic Patient and the Human Approach by the Therapist: A Relational and Intersubjective Meeting

Authors

  • Ruthellen Josselson
  • Heidi Mattila

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14713/pcsp.v8i1.1120

Abstract

Atwood describes a relational, humanistic, existential, and psychodynamic approach to treating seriously mentally ill clients and calls for a restoration of psychology as a human science.  In our response, we echo Atwood’s values and explore the phenomena of serious mental illness from the point of view of the patient’s subjectivity and lived experience, contrasting it with reductionist and efficiency-oriented models of mental illness and treatment.  In our commentary, we extend his thoughts on treatment of psychotic patients through the lens of contemporary relational and intersubjective theories. We also discuss the place of this work in the current context.

Author Biographies

Ruthellen Josselson

Dan Fishman, Ph.D. Editor-in-Chief, Pragmatic Case Studies in Psychotherapy Professor of Clinical and Organizational Psychology Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology Rutgers University Mailing address: 57 Jaffray Court Irvington, NY 10533 914-693-8549 fax: 603-917-2567 email: dfish96198@aol.com

Heidi Mattila

heidimemattila@gmail.com

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Published

2012-02-18

Issue

Section

Case Study