Lewis Aron
Encyclopedia
Lewis Aron, Ph.D., is an internationally recognized teacher and lecturer on psychotherapy
and psychoanalysis
who has made significant contributions to psychoanalysis, particularly within the specialty known as relational psychoanalysis
(Aron, 1996; Mitchell and Aron, 1999; Aron and Harris, 2005; Dorfman, 2006; Safran, 2009). Dr. Aron is the Director of the New York University
, Postdoctoral Program in Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis. He was the founding president of the International Association for Relational Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy
and was formerly President of the Division of Psychoanalysis of the American Psychological Association
. He practices in New York where he is well-known for teaching ongoing study and reading groups for professional therapists. His 1996 volume A Meeting of Minds: Mutuality in Psychoanalysis and his (1999) edited volume with Stephen Mitchell, Relational Psychoanalysis: The Emergence of a Tradition are considered two of the essential texts in contemporary American psychoanalysis. Lewis Aron, together with Adrienne Harris, edits the Relational Perspectives Book Series, which has published the great number of texts in the field. Dr. Aron was one of the founders of the preeminent journal Psychoanalytic Dialogues: The International Journal of Relational Perspectives.
The term "relational psychoanalysis" was first used by Greenberg and Mitchell in 1983 to bridge the traditions of interpersonal relations, as developed within interpersonal psychoanalysis and object relations, as developed within contemporary British theory. But, under the seminal work of the late Stephen Mitchell, the term "relational psychoanalysis" grew and began to accrue to itself many other influences and developments (Mitchell and Aron, 1999). Various tributaries—interpersonal psychoanalysis
, object relations theory
, self psychology
, empirical infancy research, and elements of contemporary Freudian and Kleinian thought—flow into this tradition, which understands relational configurations between self and others, both real and fantasied, as the primary subject of psychoanalytic investigation.
Relational psychoanalysis has become the dominant form of American contemporary psychoanalysis. Relational models of psychic development revolve around the notion that psychic structure—at the very least, those aspects of psychic structure that were accessible to psychotherapeutic intervention—is derived from the individual’s relations with other people. This, of course, was intended as an alternative to the prevailing view that innately organized drives and their developmental vicissitudes were, at root, the basis of psychic structure.
Dr. Aron's (1996) contributions have included an emphasis on the patient's experience of the analyst's subjectivity, and a view of psychoanalysis as including a good deal of mutuality between patient and analyst (especially mutual regulation and mutual recognition), even within the context of a certain necessary asymmetry of roles and responsibilities. His recent work explores the ways in which psychoanalysis historically defined itself in opposition to psychotherapy, paying special attention to the surprising relevance of racism
, antisemitism, misogyny
, and homophobia
in the origins of psychoanalysis.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is a general term referring to any form of therapeutic interaction or treatment contracted between a trained professional and a client or patient; family, couple or group...
and psychoanalysis
Psychoanalysis
Psychoanalysis is a psychological theory developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries by Austrian neurologist Sigmund Freud. Psychoanalysis has expanded, been criticized and developed in different directions, mostly by some of Freud's former students, such as Alfred Adler and Carl Gustav...
who has made significant contributions to psychoanalysis, particularly within the specialty known as relational psychoanalysis
Relational psychoanalysis
Relational psychoanalysis is a school of psychoanalysis in the United States that emphasizes the role of real and imagined relationships with others in mental disorder and psychotherapy...
(Aron, 1996; Mitchell and Aron, 1999; Aron and Harris, 2005; Dorfman, 2006; Safran, 2009). Dr. Aron is the Director of the New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
, Postdoctoral Program in Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis. He was the founding president of the International Association for Relational Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy
International Association for Relational Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy
The International Association for Relational Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy is an organization that was founded in 2001 to promote the development of relational psychoanalysis....
and was formerly President of the Division of Psychoanalysis of the American Psychological Association
American Psychological Association
The American Psychological Association is the largest scientific and professional organization of psychologists in the United States. It is the world's largest association of psychologists with around 154,000 members including scientists, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. The APA...
. He practices in New York where he is well-known for teaching ongoing study and reading groups for professional therapists. His 1996 volume A Meeting of Minds: Mutuality in Psychoanalysis and his (1999) edited volume with Stephen Mitchell, Relational Psychoanalysis: The Emergence of a Tradition are considered two of the essential texts in contemporary American psychoanalysis. Lewis Aron, together with Adrienne Harris, edits the Relational Perspectives Book Series, which has published the great number of texts in the field. Dr. Aron was one of the founders of the preeminent journal Psychoanalytic Dialogues: The International Journal of Relational Perspectives.
The term "relational psychoanalysis" was first used by Greenberg and Mitchell in 1983 to bridge the traditions of interpersonal relations, as developed within interpersonal psychoanalysis and object relations, as developed within contemporary British theory. But, under the seminal work of the late Stephen Mitchell, the term "relational psychoanalysis" grew and began to accrue to itself many other influences and developments (Mitchell and Aron, 1999). Various tributaries—interpersonal psychoanalysis
Interpersonal psychoanalysis
Interpersonal psychoanalysis is based on the theories of Harry Stack Sullivan , an American psychiatrist, who believed that the details of a patient's interpersonal interactions with others can provide insight into the causes and cures of mental disorder.-Selective inattention:Sullivan proposed...
, object relations theory
Object relations theory
Object relations theory is a psychodynamic theory within psychoanalytic psychology. The theory describes the process of developing a mind as one grows in relation to others in the environment....
, self psychology
Self psychology
Self Psychology is a school of psychoanalytic theory and therapy created by Heinz Kohut and developed in the United States at the Chicago Institute for Psychoanalysis. Self psychology explains psychopathology as being the result of disrupted or unmet developmental needs...
, empirical infancy research, and elements of contemporary Freudian and Kleinian thought—flow into this tradition, which understands relational configurations between self and others, both real and fantasied, as the primary subject of psychoanalytic investigation.
Relational psychoanalysis has become the dominant form of American contemporary psychoanalysis. Relational models of psychic development revolve around the notion that psychic structure—at the very least, those aspects of psychic structure that were accessible to psychotherapeutic intervention—is derived from the individual’s relations with other people. This, of course, was intended as an alternative to the prevailing view that innately organized drives and their developmental vicissitudes were, at root, the basis of psychic structure.
Dr. Aron's (1996) contributions have included an emphasis on the patient's experience of the analyst's subjectivity, and a view of psychoanalysis as including a good deal of mutuality between patient and analyst (especially mutual regulation and mutual recognition), even within the context of a certain necessary asymmetry of roles and responsibilities. His recent work explores the ways in which psychoanalysis historically defined itself in opposition to psychotherapy, paying special attention to the surprising relevance of racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
, antisemitism, misogyny
Misogyny
Misogyny is the hatred or dislike of women or girls. Philogyny, meaning fondness, love or admiration towards women, is the antonym of misogyny. The term misandry is the term for men that is parallel to misogyny...
, and homophobia
Homophobia
Homophobia is a term used to refer to a range of negative attitudes and feelings towards lesbian, gay and in some cases bisexual, transgender people and behavior, although these are usually covered under other terms such as biphobia and transphobia. Definitions refer to irrational fear, with the...
in the origins of psychoanalysis.
Authored and Edited Works
- Aron, L. (1996), A Meeting of Minds: Mutuality in Psychoanalysis Hillsdale, NJ: The Analytic Press.
- Aron, L. and Harris, A., EDS. (1993), The Legacy of Sandor Ferenczi, Hillsdale, NJ: The Analytic Press.
- Aron, L. and Anderson, F. S., EDS. (1998), Relational Perspectives on the Body, Hillsdale, NJ: The Analytic Press.
- Mitchell, S. A. and Aron, L., EDS. Relational Psychoanalysis: The Emergence of a Tradition, Hillsdale, NJ: The Analytic Press.
- Aron, L. and Harris, A., EDS. (2005). Relational Psychoanalysis II: Innovation and Expansion, Hillsdale, NJ: The Analytic Press.
- Suchet, M. Harris, A. and Aron, L., EDS. (2007), Relational Psychoanalysis III: New Voices, Hillsdale, NJ: The Analytic Press.
- Aron, L. and Henik, L., EDS. (2010), Answering a Question With A Question: Contemporary Psychoanalysis and Jewish Thought, Hillsdale, NJ: The Analytic Press.
- Aron, L. and Harris, A. (2011), Relational Psychoanalysis IV: Expansion of Theory, Routledge
- Aron, L. and Harris, A. (2011), Relational Psychoanalysis V: Evolution of Process, Routledge
- Aron, L. and Starr, K. (in preparation), Defining Psychoanalysis.