Conscious and Unconscious

Series editor's preface
Preface and acknowledgements
Constructing and deconstructing the unconscious
Conscious and unconscious in historical perspective
Freud, Adler and Jung: contrasting perspectives on the psychology of the unconscious
The development of alternative discourses: Harry Stack Sullivan, Fritz Perls and Medard Boss
Evolving psychoanalytic discourses of the unconscious
Cognitive therapy, cognitive science and the cognitive unconscious
Invisible worlds, unconscious fields and the non-egoic core: evolving discourses of the transpersonal unconscious
Conscious and unconscious: the next hundred years
References
Index.

All forms of psychotherapy deal with the limitations of our awareness. We have limited knowledge of our creative potential, of the details of our own behaviour, of our everyday emotional states, of what motivates us, and of the many factors within and around us which influence the decisions we make and the ways we act.

Some therapists, especially those influenced by Freud and Jung, speak of the 'unconscious', giving the unintended impression that it is a kind of realm or domain of activity. Others, reacting against the specifics of Freudian theory, shun the word 'unconscious' altogether. However, so limited is the reach of everyday awareness and such is the range of unconscious factors, that one way or another these limitations must somehow be spoken about, sometimes in metaphor, sometimes more explicitly.

This book offers a broad survey of psychotherapy discourses, including:

The psychoanalytic
The interpersonal
The experiential
The cognitive-behavioural
The transpersonal

This book offers a comprehensive overview of the ways in which these discourses employ a rich variety of concepts to address the limits of our everyday consciousness.

Conscious and Unconscious is invaluable reading for all those interested in counselling and psychotherapy, including those in training, as well as for experienced therapists.