Most books on psychoanalysis, its theory or its process, are packed with abstract, esoteric lingo that's far away from how people feel or express themselves. This one is different in that it's of the "she - I said" vaiety, and at the same time presents a pot full of insight about patients that really rings true. Dr. Levenson, in a truly lucid foreword, pegs Dr. Feiner just right-a rare combination of the shades of Isaiah Berlin and Zorba the Greek. The book is erudite, scholarly, and quite articulate (ocassionally Feiner will drive you maddeningly to the dictionary), and downright humorous, at times, all in the service of trying to capture precisely what goes on in interpersonal psychoanalysis, and how people might change. In a section detailing the interpersonal therapeutic interaction he reveals his wit and playfulness, along with his analytic wisdom. It is an area of psychotherapy that isn't written about usually. But the high point of this profound book is to demonstrate how authentic psychoanalysis is clearly non-adversarial and non-advice giving, but genuine analyses of the patient, the analyst himself, and their interaction. The title gives away the significant themes dealt with: relevance, dismissal and self-definition. It's a well written, translucent, amlpy illustrated book about real psychoanalystic therapy. You get the feeling you'd like to be in therapy with Dr. Feiner (if the fee wasn't too high). A good book. Give it to your therapist for Christmas.

This book is not a how-to-do-it essay about interpersonal psychoanalysis. It is, however, a gliding over, in, and around many of the interactive aspects of a therapeutic relationship. There's a lot of wisdom in these 188 pages, based evidently on the author's clinicial experience. And anyone of any school or orientation can read him or herself into it, not in theoretical jargon (if supplied, there's none in this book), but in the active part of engagement. The writing is sometimes funny, and often has you nodding, "yes, it's like that." It may not be the whole of therapy, but it surely presents a big piece of it, and it is a breath of fresh air. Feiner takes a lot for granted- that the reader is probably a professional and knows his stuff, and, therefore, will make something of what he's written. His self-exposure, his thoughtfulness about the patient and what's going on between them, are loud and clear. The chapters on "touch" and "vengeance" are worth the price of admission. Feiner has it right: self-definition is the umbrella covering all experience and the feeling of relevance is the key to a rational way of living.

This book is a rewritten collection of essays Dr. Feiner has produced over 10 years. It covers areas not usually mentioned in psychoanalytic tracts. It seems as though an idea occurs to him while working with a patient, and he goes off later and writes a paper about it. Gratefully, the material makes no attempt at a theory of man. It deals with matters of relevance, dismissal, restlessness, justice, touch and its meaning - things like that. Feiner also lets us in on his own experiences. In fast, the book seems to be entirely personal: the experiences that helped form him. Later, as an analyst in training, and then as a senior analyst training students. He is obviously someone who has thoughfully tried to reach patients so as to help them with their struggles. He has noticed the recurrent themes of feeling relevant and feeling dismissed in patient's past and current histories, and how their feelings are experienced in the context of self-definition. The focus of his therapeutic work is on the interaction and the communication that goes on in any interpersonal event. There's no jargon, nor are there any abstractions reflecting a theoretician's fantasy. The writing is tight and sharp and stimulates the reader to flesh out an idea with his own feeling. The book was written for psychoanalysts but despite its prfound professionalism, anyone can profit from much of it. Often self critical, Feiner has the wit of a wry humorist, and the touch and sensibility of a poet. Levenson has it just right in his pellucid foreward, calling Feiner a Later-Day combination of Isaiah Berlin and Zorba the Greek. On a few occaisons, very few, Feiner drives you to a dictionary, and it's worth the effort.