Do the conventional insights of depth psychology have anything to offer the gay patient? Can contemporary psychoanalytic theory be used to make sense of gay identities in ways that are helpful rather than hurtful, respectful rather than retraumatizing? In Psychoanalytic Therapy and the Gay Man Jack Drescher addresses these very questions as he outlines a therapeutic approach to issues of sexual identity that is informed by traditional therapeutic goals (such as psychological integration and more authentic living) while still respecting, even honoring, variations in sexual orientation. Drescher's exploration of the subjectivities of gay men in psychoanalytic psychotherapy is more than a long-overdue corrective to the inadequate and often pathologizing tomes of traditional psychoanalytic writers. It is a vitally human testament to the richly varied inner experiences of gay men. Drescher does not assume that sexual orientation is the entire or even major focus of intensive psychotherapy. But he does argue, passionately and convincingly, that issues of sexual identity - which encompass a spectrum of possibilities for any gay man - must be addressed in an atmosphere of honest encounter that allows not only for exploration of conflict and dissociation but also for restitutive confirmation of the patient's right to be himself. Through its abundance of first-person testimony from both clinical and literary sources, Psychoanalytic Therapy and the Gay Man provides the reader with an unforgettable grasp of what it is like to discover that one is gay in our society and then to find the courage and humanity to live with that knowledge. Any mental health professional - regardless of his or her sexual orientation - who wishes to deal therapeutically with gay men will find Drescher's work indispensable. But it will also be compelling reading for anyone seeking psychological insight into gay men's lives and concerns.

Do the conventional insights of depth psychology have anything to offer the gay patient? Can contemporary psychoanalytic theory be used to make sense of gay identities in ways that are helpful rather than hurtful, respectful rather than retraumatizing? In Psychoanalytic Therapy and the Gay Man Jack Drescher addresses these very questions as he outlines a therapeutic approach to issues of sexual identity that is informed by traditional therapeutic goals (such as psychological integration and more authentic living) while still respecting, even honoring, variations in sexual orientation. Drescher's exploration of the subjectivities of gay men in psychoanalytic psychotherapy is more than a long-overdue corrective to the inadequate and often pathologizing tomes of traditional psychoanalytic writers. It is a vitally human testament to the richly varied inner experiences of gay men. Drescher does not assume that sexual orientation is the entire or even major focus of intensive psychotherapy. But he does argue, passionately and convincingly, that issues of sexual identity - which encompass a spectrum of possibilities for any gay man - must be addressed in an atmosphere of honest encounter that allows not only for exploration of conflict and dissociation but also for restitutive confirmation of the patient's right to be himself. Through its abundance of first-person testimony from both clinical and literary sources, Psychoanalytic Therapy and the Gay Man provides the reader with an unforgettable grasp of what it is like to discover that one is gay in our society and then to find the courage and humanity to live with that knowledge. Any mental health professional - regardless of his or her sexual orientation - who wishes to deal therapeutically with gay men will find Drescher's work indispensable. But it will also be compelling reading for anyone seeking psychological insight into gay men's lives and concerns.

This book provides comprehensive coverage of the initial interview with a gay male client. It first provides a transcript of the entire interview. It then covers in-depth a set of universal themes, and finally includes commentary on and analysis of the interview from a range of the most widely used theoretical perspectives. It is designed to teach the foundations of conducting an initial interview and therapists in training, as well as experienced mental health workers will find it invaluable. --Winner of the Distinguished Book Award, APA 2011-- - Editor is Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Institute for Human Identity - Presents a realistic model of interviewing, and cautions the therapist in training not to grasp for the unreachable; perfection - Every chapter in the book discusses the insights and mistakes by the psychologist conducting the interview

Examine gay and lesbian psychoanalysis from a variety of perspectives! Psychotherapy with Gay Men and Lesbians: Contemporary Dynamic Approaches presents case histories of psychotherapy sessions with gay and lesbian patients, focusing on today's psychoanalytical approaches. Dedicated to enhancing the emotional, psychological, and psychiatric treatment of gay men, lesbians, and bisexuals, the book features prominent analysts with a wide range of clinical and theoretical approaches. The foremost experts in the therapeutic field address issues affecting gay and lesbian patients from psychoanalytic perspectives that respect the patients' sexual identities. Psychotherapy with Gay Men and Lesbians reflects the significant clinical and theoretical changes therapists face in dealing with issues of gender and sexuality. New ways of thinking coexist with traditional theory as paradigm shifts in psychotherapy and psychoanalysis affect the treatment of gay, lesbian, and bisexual patients. This book provides a forum to address those changes through clinical papers and discussions. Psychotherapy with Gay Men and Lesbians includes discussion of case reports that deal with: gay therapists treating gay patients countertransferential enactments of sex and gender in treatment rethinking the meanings of homosexuality psychotherapeutic treatment of gay male patients with AIDS and much more! Psychotherapy with Gay Men and Lesbians is an essential forum for the exchange of clinical information on gay and lesbian psychotherapy. The book is a valuable resource for psychiatrists, psychologists, social work therapists, psychoanalysts, and anyone interested in today's psychoanalytic approaches to homosexuality.

Why has homosexuality always fascinated and vexed psychoanalysis? This groundbreaking collection of original essays reconsiders the troubled relationship between same-sex desire and psychoanalysis, assessing homosexuality's status in psychoanalytic theory and practice, as well as the value of psychoanalytic ideas for queer theory. The contributors, each distinguished clinicians and specialists, reexamine works by Freud, Klein, Reich, Lacan, Laplanche, and their feminist and queer revisionists. Sharing a commitment to conscious and unconscious forms of homosexual desire, they offer new perspectives on pleasure, perversion, fetishism, disgust, psychosis, homophobia, AIDS, otherness, and love. Including two previously untranslated essays by Michel Foucault, Homosexuality and Psychoanalysis will interest cultural theorists, psychoanalysts, and anyone concerned with the fate of sexuality in our time. Contributors: Lauren Berlant Leo Bersani Daniel L. Buccino Arnold I. Davidson Tim Dean Jonathan Dollimore Brad Epps Michel Foucault Lynda Hart Jason B. Jones Christopher Lane H. N. Lukes Catherine Millot Elizabeth A. Povinelli Ellie Ragland Paul Robinson Judith Roof Joanna Ryan Ramón E. Soto-Crespo Suzanne Yang

This book bridges psychoanalytic thought and sexual science. It brings sexuality back to the center of psychoanalysis and shows how important it is for students of human sexuality to understand motives that are often irrational and unconscious. The authors present a new perspective about male and female development, emphasizing the ways in which sexual orientation and homophobia appear early in life. The clinical section of the book focuses on the psychodynamics and treatment of homophobia and internalized homophobia.

Grounded in current research, this comprehensive volume lays thefoundations for effective, affirmative therapeutic practice with lesbian, gay, and bisexual clients. Addressed are family of origin issues; coupleproblems, including sex therapy with same-sex partners; vocational andworkplace issues; and more. The extensive appendix lists a broad array of publications, advocacy groups, and Web-based resources for bothprofessionals and consumers. 12/01.