Withdrawal, Silence, Loneliness: Psychotherapy of the Schizoid Process

With contributions from Silvia Allari, Leigh Bettles, Dan Eastop, Richard G. Erskine, Amaia Mauriz Etxabe, Linda Finlay, Ray Little, Lynn Martin, Marye O'Reilly-Knapp, Eugenio Peiro Orozco.

Richard G. Erskine is a master clinician who, through more than fifty years of practice, has integrated diverse schools of psychoanalytic thought - self psychology, object relations, transactional analysis, and Gestalt therapy - with his client-centered background to form his relationally focused, integrative psychotherapy. Alongside eight colleagues, he presents an authoritative guide on working with the schizoid process.

Part I provides an introduction to the schizoid process and an understanding of the concepts and therapeutic interventions required, helpfully illustrated through relevant vignettes that retain the subjective experience of therapist and client. Part II, the heart of the book, contains a longitudinal case study of Allan. This focuses on the narrative of the psychotherapy sessions interwoven with several salient concepts. It is followed by the observations of two colleagues on the process of the psychotherapy. A representation of professional dialogue, which is so central to refining the practice of psychotherapy. Part III looks at the clients' perspective, including a chapter written by a client to provide her personal views on her internal experience of psychotherapy. The final part contains a chapter on the five-year psychotherapeutic journey of a client, Louise. This chapter demonstrates how the theory of the schizoid process is put into therapeutic practice.

This is an essential book for all psychotherapists to widen their understanding of therapeutic practice.

CONTENTS

Acknowledgements

About the author and contributors

Foreword

Amaia Mauriz Etxabe (Basque Country, Spain)

Preface

Richard G. Erskine (Canada)

Part I: Psychotherapy of the Schizoid Process

1. The Schizoid Process: An Introduction

Richard G. Erskine (Canada)

2. Relational Withdrawal, Internal Criticism, Social Façade: Attunement to Parts of the Self

Richard G. Erskine (Canada)

3. Relational Withdrawal, Attunement to Silence: Psychotherapy of the Schizoid Process

Richard G. Erskine (Canada)

4. Engaging with the Schizoid Compromise

Ray Little (Scotland)

5. Silence, Withdrawal, and Contact in the Schizoid Process

Marye O’Riely-Knapp (USA)

6. Relational Needs and the Schizoid Phenomena

Dan Eastop (Ireland)

Part II: A Five-Year Case Study and Colleague’s Reflections

7. Allan: Depression or Isolated Attachment?

Richard G. Erskine (Canada)

8. Allan: Internal Criticism and Shame, Physical Sensations and Affect

Richard G. Erskine (Canada)

9. Allan: Isolation, Loneliness, and a Need to be Loved

Richard G. Erskine (Canada)

10. Allan: Therapeutic Withdrawal and Painful Memories

Richard G. Erskine (Canada)

11. Allan: My Mother’s Voice; Psychotherapy of Introjection

Richard G. Erskine (Canada)

12. Reflexively exploring the ‘therapeutic use of self’: A response to Richard Erskine’s five-chapter case study of Allan

Linda Finlay (UK)

13. The Role of Shame in the Development of the Schizoid Process

Lynn Martin (UK)

Part III: Clients’ Perspectives on the Psychotherapy

14. Come closer … but keep your distance”

Leigh Bettles (UK)

15. From Inner Safety to Contact-in-Relationship: Analyzing the Psychotherapy of the Schizoid Process

Silvia Allari (Italy) and Eugenio Peiro Orozco (Spain)

Part IV: Theory into Therapeutic Practice

16. Louise: Social Façade, Depression, Relational

Richard G. Erskine (Canada)