Healing through meeting : Martin Buber's philosophy of dialogue and its relevance for the theory and the practice of psychotherapy

• Main Author: Solomons, Jason Charles
• Other Authors: Swartz, Sally
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Published: University of Cape Town 2014
• Subjects: Clinical Psychology
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/8606

Bibliography: leaves 64-71. === This dissertation explores the relevance of Martin Buber's philosophy of dialogue for the theory and practice of psychotherapy. In particular, Buber's distinction between I-Thou and I-It modes of relating, his understanding of sickness and healing as occurring in the "between" of relation, and his thoughts on psychotherapy are examined. It is argued that his work in these areas can make a contribution to the field of psychotherapy by providing a broad, coherent relational philosophy in which to place many of the insights of different schools of psychotherapy, while also helping to provide an understanding of the source of some of the current debates and tensions within the field. The contribution that Buber's work can make to key theoretical questions in psychotherapy, such as the unit of study in therapy, the goal and direction of therapy, and the agent of change and healing are explored. The challenges that Buber's concept of "healing through meeting" presents to orthodox psychoanalytic theory is examined, together with the correspondence between his work and recent trends within psychoanalytic theory towards a more relational approach. Further, some guidelines for the practice of psychotherapy are examined. Buber's concept of the therapist's need for "existential trust" and his/her ability to see the patient as a whole unique person are explored, together with the blocks to dialogue and meeting in the therapy relationship that are created by both the therapist and psychoanalytic theory. The thesis ends with a critique of Buber and an examination of the relevance of his philosophy for both psychotherapy and wider social issues in the South African context.