Ana-Maria Rizzuto Book order

Exploring the significance of spoken language in Freud's psychoanalytic practice, Ana-María Rizzuto argues that Freud's attention to the intrapsychic meaning of patients' words was pivotal in developing "talking therapy." This innovative approach not only provided insights into the unconscious but also laid the groundwork for contemporary psychoanalytic methods. By critically examining Freud's writings, the author highlights the dynamic verbal interactions between analyst and patient, revealing their crucial role in clinical treatment and the evolution of psychoanalytic theory.

Utilizing both clinical material based on the life histories of twenty patients and theoretical insights from the works of Freud, Erikson, Fairbairn, and Winnicott, Ana-Maria Rizzuto examines the origin, development, and use of our God images. Whereas Freud postulated that belief in God is based on a child's idea of his father, Rizzuto argues that the God representation draws from a variety of sources and is a major element in the fabric of one's view of self, others, and the world.