Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Literature on Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis in the Second Half of Life

  • Chapter
The Race Against Time

Part of the book series: Critical Issues in Psychiatry ((CIPS))

Abstract

Clinicians describing psychotherapeutic work with older patients almost invariably reflect the sense of resistance they experienced at the outset, citing a variety of obstacles to starting the work, barriers to performing the psychotherapeutic tasks, and societal and cultural stereotypes that inhibited them in their interactions with older patients. Butler and Lewis (1977) discuss the mental health profession’s nihilism and negativism regarding the older patient. They consider them manifestations of “professional ageism” and therapist countertransference and list the following six issues:

  1. 1.

    The aged’s stimulation of therapists’ fears regarding their own eventual old age (and, we would add, anxiety regarding death)

  2. 2.

    Therapists’ conflicts about their own parental relations

  3. 3.

    Felt impotence stemming from a belief in the ubiquity of untreatable organic states in the elderly

  4. 4.

    Desire to avoid “wasting” their skills on persons nearing death

  5. 5.

    Fears that an aged patient may die during treatment

  6. 6.

    Desire to avoid colleagues’ negative evaluation of efforts directed toward the aged

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Abraham, K. The applicability of psycho-analytic treatment to patients at an advanced age. In Selected papers of psychoanalysis. London: Hogarth Press, 1949.

    Google Scholar 

  • Alexander, F. G., & French, T. M. Psychoanalytic therapy: Principles and applications. New York: Ronald Press, 1946.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barns, E. K., Sach, A. A., & Shore, H. Guidelines to treatment approaches, modalities and methods for use with the aged. Gerontologist, 1973, 13(4), 313–327.

    Google Scholar 

  • Berezin, M. A., & Cath, S. H. (Eds.). Geriatric psychiatry: Grief, loss and emotional disorders in the aging process. New York: International Universities Press, 1965.

    Google Scholar 

  • Berezin, M. A. Psychodynamic considerations of aging and the aged. American Journal of Psychiatry, 1972, 128, 1485–1491.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bibring, E. Psychoanalysis and the dynamic psychotherapies. journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association, 1954, 2, 745–770.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Busse, E. W., & Pfeiffer, E. Introduction. In E. W. Busse & E. Pfeiffer (Eds), Behavior and adaptation in late life. Boston: Little, Brown, 1969.

    Google Scholar 

  • Butler, R. N. The life review: An interpretation of reminiscence in the aged. Psychiatry, 1963, 26, 65–75.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Butler R. N., & Lewis, M. I. Aging and mental health: Positive psychosocial approaches. St. Louis: Mosby, 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, N. A. On loneliness and the aging process. International Journal of Psycho-Analysis, 1982, 63, 149–155.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fenichel, O. The psychoanalytic theory of neurosis. New York: Norton, 1945.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fozard, J. L., & Thomas, J. C., Jr. Psychology of aging. Basic factors and some psychiatric applications. In J. G. Howells (Ed.), Modern perspectives in the psychiatry of old age. New York: Brunner/Mazel, 1975.

    Google Scholar 

  • Freud, S. On psychotherapy. In Collected papers (Vol. 1). London: Hogarth Press, 1924. (Originally published, 1905.)

    Google Scholar 

  • Freud, S. Sexuality in the aetiology of the neuroses. In Collected papers (Vol 1). London: Hogarth Press, 1942. (Originally published, 1906.)

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldfarb, A. L. One aspect of the psychodynamics of the therapeutic situation with aged patients. Psychoanalytic Review, 1955, 42, 180–187.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Goldfarb, A. L. Psychiatry in geriatrics, medical clinics of North America. Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders Co., 1967.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldfarb, A. L., & Sheps, J. Psychotherapy of the aged. Psychosomatic Medicine, 1954, 15 (3).

    Google Scholar 

  • Grotjahn, M. Analytic psychotherapy with the elderly. Psychoanalytic Review, 1955, 42, 419–427.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Guntrip, H. My experience of analysis with Fairbairn and Winnicott. International Review of Psychoanalysis, 1975, 2, 145–156.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hollender, M. H. Individualizing the aged. Social Casework, 1952, 33, 337–342.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jacques, E. Death and the mid-life crisis. International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 1965, 46, 502–514.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jelliffee, S. E. The old age factor in psycho-analytic therapy. Medical Journal Records, 1925, 121, 7–12.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, E. The life and work of Sigmund Freud (Vol. 1). New York: Basic Books, 1953.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, E. The life and work of Sigmund Freud (Vol. 2). New York: Basic Books, 1955.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, E. The life and work of Sigmund Freud (Vol. 3). New York: Basic Books, 1957.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kahana, R. Psychoanalysis in later life. Discussion. Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 1978, 11, 37–49.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kaufman, M. R. Psychoanalysis in late-life depressions. Psychoanalytic Quarterly, 1937, 6, 308–335.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kahana, R. J. Psychotherapy with the elderly. In T. B. Karasu & L. Bellak (Eds.), Specialized techniques in individual psychotherapy. New York: Brunner/Mazel, 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kernberg, O. Internal world and external reality. New York: Jason Aronson, 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  • King, P. H. The life cycle as indicated by the nature of the transference in the psychoanalysis of the middle-aged and elderly. International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 1980, 61, 153–160.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lewis, C. N. The adaptive value of reminiscence in old age. Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 1973, 5, 117–121.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lewis, M., & Butler, R. N. Life review therapy. Geriatrics, 1974, 29, 165–173.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Myerson, P. G. Psychoanalysis in later life. Discussion. Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 1978, 11(37), 57–66.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pollock, G. H. Aging or aged: development or pathology. In S. I. Greenspan & G. H. Pollock (Eds.), The course of life: Psychoanalytic contributions toward understanding personality development (Vol. 3). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1981. (a)

    Google Scholar 

  • Pollock, G. H. Reminiscence and insight. Psychoanalytic Study of the Child, 1981, 36, 278–287. (b)

    Google Scholar 

  • Rechtschaffen, A. Psychotherapy with geriatric patients: A review of the literature. Journal of Gerontology, 1959, 14, 73–84.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rosenfeld, H. A. Notes on the psychopathology and psychoanalytic treatment of some borderline patients. International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 1978, 59, 215–221.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rubin, R. Learning to overcome reluctance for psychotherapy with the elderly. Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 1977, 10, 215–227.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sandier, A. Psychoanalysis in later life: Problems in the psychoanalysis of an aging narcissistic patient. Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 1978, 11(37), 5–36.

    Google Scholar 

  • Segal, H. Fear of death: Notes on the analysis of an old man. International journal of Psychoanalysis, 1958, 34, 178–181.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schur, M. Freud: Living and dying. New York: International Universities Press, 1972.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weisman, A. Psychoanalysis in later life. Discussion. Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 1978, 11(37), 51–55.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wheelwright, J. B. Some comments on the aging process. Psychiatry, 1959, 22, 407–411.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wayne, G. J. Modified psychoanalytic therapy in senescence. Psychoanalytic Review, 1953, 40, 99–116.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. Robert A. Nemiroff
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Calvin A. Colarusso
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1985 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Nemiroff, R.A., Colarusso, C.A. (1985). The Literature on Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis in the Second Half of Life. In: The Race Against Time. Critical Issues in Psychiatry. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-3481-9_3

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-3481-9_3

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4899-3483-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4899-3481-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation