News of its death...
I believe the news of the death of depth psychology and psychoanalysis has been greatly exaggerated, to borrow a turn of phrase from Mark Twain. It is certainly true that neither is favored by the current mental health establishment, but as has been noted before here, there is solid research evidence that they are more effective for treatment of complex problems. And this despite an academic establishment in psychology and psychiatry which at best frowns, if not derides, treatments other than cognitive behavioral and/or psychopharmacological. In this light, I found Robert Firestone's blog piece on The Death of Psychoanalysis and Depth Psychotherapy interesting, not only because they aren't dead, but also because I disagree with what he attributes the death to, namely a cultural movement growing out of the counter-culture of the 60's and 70's.
There is merit to some of what he postulates --
I believe that this demise is closely related to an implicit cultural movement to squelch serious inquiry into family dynamics and interpersonal relationships, particularly the physical, sexual, and emotional abuse of children. Clearly, this is a dangerous trend for society. How can we hope to develop a better quality of family life if we do not honestly scrutinize the dynamics of present-day family interactions? We must effectively account for the high rate of adolescent suicide, violence in our schools, the widespread use of drugs and the many other symptoms of emotional disturbance in our young people.
Certainly there is a reluctance to look too deeply into the causes and meanings of our social and personal ills. But I think this is a very American attitude. Behaviorism found very fertile soil here. As a generally pragmatic people who prefer a can-do attitude to contemplation of meaning, behaviorism and its offshoots suit the culture to a t. Name the problem. Devise an intervention. Make it brief. Presto! Problem solved.
Firestone's bleak conclusion:
Malevolent societal forces have succeeded in almost completely suppressing important knowledge concerning the widespread incidence of emotional, physical, and sexual child abuse in "normal" families and the ensuing long-term harmful effects. Currently, cultural attitudes of indifference and denial continue to exert a powerful influence on the field of psychotherapy and have, in large part, transformed it from a creative, compassionate enterprise to a weak and frightened community of mental health professionals irresponsibly dispensing drugs or other quick fixes that support the status quo.
is true if you confine your view to mental health clinics and university training programs and residencies. Combine this predilection for concrete solutions over contemplation with the market forces at play in mental health treatment and what you get is what we have today and what might appear to be the death of depth psychology. Except that it isn't dead. It is however excluded from mainstream mental health treatment for the most part. You won't find articles relating to technique or aims of depth psychotherapy in any of the major psychology or psychiatry journals. That is simply a reflection of the dominant paradigm in both fields. But there are journals and associations and conferences and books to be found aplenty in psychoanalysis and depth psychology. Far from dead, it is more apt to say that depth approaches have found new ground to grow in.