Transactional Analysis Journal

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Book Review: Ritual and Spontaneity in the Psychoanalytic Process

Fred C. Clark
Transactional Analysis Journal 2000 30: 98
DOI: 10.1177/036215370003000113

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 Book Reviews
Barton W Knapp, Editor
Dictionary 0/ TransactionalAnalysis
Anthony A. Tilney
Whurr Publishers (London), 1998
ISO pages, 17.50
Available in the USA from Taylor and Francis,
Bristol, PA
$29.50
Reviewedby Marye 0 'Reilly-Knapp
In his introduction to this Dictionary 0/
Transactional Analysis, Tilney gives a brief
history of Berne's interest in the interpersonal
dimension in establishing transactional analy-
sis. In this dictionary both definitions and ex-
planations are provided. Tilney states:
An explanation is designed to build under-
standing. A definition sets boundaries to
the term so that a decision can be made as
to what does and what does not fall into
the category. A definition does not be-
come meaningful until the explanation has
been understood. (viii)
The words selected for the dictionary in-
cluded those used by Berne, those borrowed by
transactional analysts that are now in wide-
spread use (such as attachment, Gestalt), and
those adopted from other disciplines and in-
tegrated into transactional analysis (such as
depressive position and defense mechanisms).
This ISO-pagebook contains three appendi-
ces as well as references. Appendix I is a read-
ing list consisting of books by Berne together
with a short list of books by the Gouldings,
James, and others. Appendix 2 lists the Eric
Berne award winners, and Appendix 3 presents
the Codes of Ethics of the Institute of Trans-
actional Analysis (ITA), the European Associ-
ation for Transactional Analysis (EATA), and
the International Transactional Analysis Asso-
ciation (ITAA).
To give an idea of the contents of this dictio-
nary, I randomly opened the book. Under "T"
there were such items as TAl 0 I, tangential
98
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transaction, tape recording, termination, thera-
peutic alliance, and therapeutic operations.
Each word has an explanation, and for thera-
peutic operations, the source is provided.
The Dictionary ofTransactional Analysis is
a book for everyone who is interested in trans-
actional analysis. For those in training, it is an
invaluable source, one I wish had been avail-
able when I was preparing for my clinical ex-
amination. The book is also an excellent refer-
ence for practitioners, educators, and organiza-
tional consultants. Thus, for both those who
are new to transactional analysis and those
who are advanced, this dictionary is highly re-
commended.
Marye 0 'Reilly-Knapp, D.N.Sc., is a clinical
nursespecialist (psychiatry) inprivatepractice
in Devon, Pennsylvania, US.A., and an ad-
junct professor at Widener University.
Ritual and Spontaneityin the Psychoanalytic
Process
Irwin Z. Hoffman
The Analytic Press, Inc., 1998
273 pages, $49.95
Reviewedby Fred C. Clark
The theme of this book is that all that
evolves out of the therapeutic situation is con-
tinually changing and is cocreated by the ther-
apist and the client. Both bring their experience
to the sessions, each impacts the other, and the
outcome will be a reality for both that is altered
by their mutual experience. Hoffman's conten-
tion is that there can be an interplay between
analytic discipline and personal participation
and between formal analytic authority and an
atmosphere of spontaneity and mutuality.
In many ways this book is an autobiography
that follows the development of Hoffman's
thinking over his career. Many of the chapters
Transactional AnalysisJournal

are reprints of earlier articles, and the book
thus seems to be a compilation of Hoffman's
writings, a summation of his life's work.
In terms of his own approach to therapy,
Hoffinan writes that his experience helped
shape his principles, and once formed, his prin-
ciples then shaped his experience.
There were times as I was reading that I
thought Hoffinan was dealing with the "Ghost
of Psychoanalysis Past." He is basically a con-
structivist who is trying to speak to a psycho-
analytic world that he depicts as still living
with the belief that the therapist can truly be a
"blank screen." He believes that this is simply
not possible, and anyone holding onto this
premise does not understand the profound dy-
namics of the therapeutic process. Hoffinan
states this theme many times, often with refer-
ences upon references, as if he expects a host
of angry voices to argue with him.
I came to this book with my own set of be-
liefs and principles concerning psychotherapy
and was pleased to find a great deal of valida-
tion. What changed for me as a result of read-
ing this book was a more profound apprecia-
tion of the responsibility I have for my clients.
I have sharpened my awareness of how every-
thing I do or say will have an impact, and I
cannot always tell what that impact will be. I
have a much clearer understanding of how my
own general well-being contributes to what I
do and say in a session. For these reasons, this
book was worth reading.
Fred Clark, M.Div., is a Teaching and Su-
pervising Transactional Analyst and the clini-
cal director of the Center for Integrative Psy-
chotherapy, Cheshire, Connecticut, U.S.A.
Books Received for Review
These books have been submitted by publish-
ers who wish to have them reviewed in the
Transactional Analysis Journal. You are en-
couraged to select one ofthem to review in the
Journal. Please contact me, Barton W Knapp,
Vol. 30, No. I, January 2000
Downloaded from tax.sagepub.com by Ana Farcas on May 22, 2014
BOOK REVIEWS
Ph.D., Phoenix Centers, P.G. Box 131, New-
town Square, PA 19073, U.S.A. and tell me
which book you would like to review. If it book
is still available, J will send the book to you
along with guidelines to help you in writing
your review. J also encourage you to review a
book that you have read and would like to
bring to the attention ofother readers of the
Journal.
Brothers, B. J. (1998). Couples: A Medley of
Models. Binghamton, NY: The Haworth
Press, 157 pages, $29.95.
Clark, J. I. (1999). Time-In: When Time-Out
Doesn't Work. Seattle, WA: Parenting Press,
74 pages, $9.95.
Fortune, M. M. (Ed.). (1999). Journal ofReli-
gion & Abuse: Advocacy, Pastoral Care &
Prevention. Binghamton, NY: The Haworth
Pastoral Press, $45 per individual yearly
subscription.
Geffner, R. (Ed.). (1997). Journal ofAggres-
sion, Maltreatment & Trauma. Binghamton,
NY: The Haworth Maltreatment and Trauma
Press, $48 per individual yearly subscription.
Geffner, R., and Rossman, B. B. R. (Eds.).
(1998). Journal ofEmotional Abuse. Bing-
hamton, NY: The Haworth Maltreatment
and Trauma Press, $34 per individual yearly
subscription.
Midgley, D. (1998). New Directions in Trans-
actional Analysis Counselling. London: Free
Association Books, 153 pages, 15.95.
Rickard, V. (1998). The Learning About My-
self (LAMS) Program for At-Risk Parents:
Learning About the Past-Changing the
Future and The Learning About Myself
(LAMS) Handbookfor Group Participants.
Binghamton, NY: The Haworth Maltreat-
ment and Trauma Press, 196 pages, $39.95
(hard), $24.95 (soft) (Handbook: 64 pages,
$14.95).
Wright, J. M. (1998). Lesbian Step Families:
An Ethnography ofLove. Binghamton, NY:
Harrington Park Press, 262 pages, $39.95
(hard), $19.95 (soft).
99