Illusion, Disillusionment, and Irony in Psychoanalysis

The Newest release from the British Object Relations Psychoanalysis John Steiner, focuses on the power and importance of illusion, disillusionment, and irony within the work of therapy and psychoanalysis.  This is the third in his catalog of books, which carries on from his previous two works, Seeing and being Seen and Psychic Retreats.  Psychic Retreats laid the foundation for Seeing and Being Seen, from which Stiner advanced his ideas on patient and therapist-centered interpretations and empathic understanding and observation.  

Illusion is a powerful force that we all employ and need to move through the world.  We all construct our own fantasies in order to move through the facts of life and hardships of everyday existence.  Without illusion, we would not be able to live without being torn apart by the anxiety of heading towards our inevitable death or the trauma that we have incurred.  These illusions also help us to feel powerful in the face of feeling powerless and at the mercy of that which we cannot control. However, these omnipotent illusions can become narcissistic or romantic perversions that distort reality and move us away from the truth of our Being and existence.  

This is where the importance of disillusionment comes in, and the difficulty of working with this in therapy.  In psychotherapy, much of the process is disillusioning as we discover new truths about ourselves, and how we move through the world and relationships. Often, coming up against the defenses that we have constructed, we begin to feel the epistemological trauma of our world view being shattered.  When done without care or empathy, this can leave the patient feeling alone or persecuted, and thus leading them into a retreat into the Self.  When done with care and empathic understanding, the confrontation and conflict can be held, and the tension can release– resulting in a new understanding of self and genuine self-compassion and self-love.  Holding this tension, or the irony, that we both need defenses in the form of illusions, and to hold the truth of disillusionment and reality– is the holding of both empathy and reality.  Through this, we can learn to live with teh paradox of being human– a fundamental, yet transcendent fact of our existence.  

Though this is not the best introductory text to gaining a better understanding of Objects Relation Theory, it is a wonderful read for someone wanting or looking to deepen their knowledge of the field, and psychoanalysis in general.  Steiner has many other great insights contained within this volume.  And is a worthwhile read, just as his other books are.  For a young budding therapist, looking to expand their horizons or still looking to find their therapeutic home and orientation– I highly recommend any of Steiner