Hello people. I'm looking for a book on psychoanalysis for those who aren't experts on the subject. I want to know more on the subject, preferably the area of how to analyze people. I like looking at tests and what the responses of the tests mean. I know I wont be able to make a diagnosis just by reading a book but I like the topic of how people work. I want a book with practical use and and pschoanalytical theories.

Ever since I played Silent Hill: Shattered Memories (I doubt anyone on here has or even plays video games on this forum), I've enjoyed reading about tests and theories. The game had you go to a psychoanalyst named Doctor Kauffman. He was really cool. He made you take a picture assessment test and some other tests. He is my ideal of the world's best mental health doctor. Here's a quote from him in the game: "I want you to know, this will be different. We take this at your pace. No notes. No drugs. No theories. We go back to the start - understand what happened.".

Anyone get where I'm coming from and what book I should get? If you know of a real life doctor who might share a similar philosophy on treating patients like the fictional Doctor Kauffman, let me know.

[Ygrec23]

Originally Posted by Kam$$!

Hello people. I'm looking for a book on psychoanalysis for those who aren't experts on the subject. I want to know more on the subject, preferably the area of how to analyze people. I like looking at tests and what the responses of the tests mean. I know I wont be able to make a diagnosis just by reading a book but I like the topic of how people work. I want a book with practical use and and pschoanalytical theories.

Ever since I played Silent Hill: Shattered Memories (I doubt anyone on here has or even plays video games on this forum), I've enjoyed reading about tests and theories. The game had you go to a psychoanalyst named Doctor Kauffman. He was really cool. He made you take a picture assessment test and some other tests. He is my ideal of the world's best mental health doctor. Here's a quote from him in the game: "I want you to know, this will be different. We take this at your pace. No notes. No drugs. No theories. We go back to the start - understand what happened.".

Anyone get where I'm coming from and what book I should get? If you know of a real life doctor who might share a similar philosophy on treating patients like the fictional Doctor Kauffman, let me know.

Hey, Kam,

I think you may have trouble finding the kind of book you're looking for. To the best of my knowledge (accumulated over a hell of a long time) there is no such thing as a textbook for psychoanalysis. Psychoanalysis is taught (and learned) by going through the process yourself and talking with experienced psychoanalysts. Nor do I believe that any psychoanalysts use "tests" in their profession. "Tests" are sometimes administered by some (repeat, "some") psychologists in connection with what they're specialized in. To my knowledge there are whole books devoted to a single test, so I'd doubt you could find a book about all the tests that are out there.

A book with "practical use and psychoanalytical theories." Hmmmmmmmmm. Very, VERY doubtful. You might find one or the other if you sort through an awful lot on Amazon, but combined? I would tend to doubt it. And your description of the doctor in the video game doesn't really sound terribly true to life. Again, I would very much doubt you could find a book by such a doctor, or even find such a doctor.

The best I can advise is simply to go to Amazon and search for "psychoanalysis" in the Book section. I just did that and it came up with 14, 302 results. Considering all the things you want to find, I do think you'd actually need to sift through all those 14,302 results to find the kind of books you really want. Hope this Helps! Take care.

[RiverX]

Well in terms of how 'people tick', I liked:
The Real Self by J.Masterson and
Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
Neither have the game quality etc, but both are profound and have a lot to do with the way people work. But as the Ygrek (with the picture of learned wisdom) said, keep exploring, fascinatine journey, I'd say.

[sorrel]

Frankl is Logotherapy, not psychoanalysis.

[Ygrec23]

Well, Kam,

I was wrong. There are quite a number of texts on psychoanalysis listed for sale on Amazon. As well as psychoanalysis explained for patients. After going through a few hundred of the books listed there, I think you'll be able to find all you want by carefully choosing from among those listed.

Of course, you wanted a personal recommendation from a knowledgeable PC member. That, unfortunately, I can't give you. I've never myself read a text on psychoanalysis or a "how to" book on psychoanalysis. So I'll have to leave it to other PC members to fill you in on what may have impressed them.

I'm sorry I gave you a bum steer. I should simply have said nothing.

I am not sure if it is what you are looking for but you can download Psychological Self-Help by Dr. Clayton E. Tucker-Ladd here: http://www.psychologicalselfhelp.org/

[sorrel]

There aren't any books on how to do psychoanalysis, but there are plenty of books explaining the theories and what it is like as a client/patiet. Anything by Freud, Melanie Klein, or Carl Jung should be a good place to start in terms of theory. Though bear in mind that there are different 'schools' of psychoanalytic thought.

[stopdog]

You might want to try lookug up Nancy McWilliams or Karen Maroda. They have both written several books. I find Maruda fairly condescending (but I find all of them that way to some extent )