Neutrality in psychoanalysis Essays

Neutrality in psychoanalysis Essays Neutrality in psychoanalysis Essay Neutrality in psychoanalysis Essay Batman. When read, the image of a superhero with a profound power devoted to helping others comes to mind. Defined by the Complete Scoundrel sourcebook (McArtor Schneider, 2007) as a neutral good character, Batman adheres to a personal code, in which he is unbiased in doing good, while remaining unindebted to those he helps. This personal code was devised to maintain a greater good in society by providing a set of guiding principles that aid in making moral decisions and is followed when fighting crime. Psychoanalysts draw many parallels with Batman. Psychoanalysts are also devoted to helping others and follow a set of principles when in practice. An essential part of the psychoanalytic code is neutrality. According to Meissner (1998) neutrality has been long honored as an essential component of the [psycho]analytic situation and process (p. 1089). The concept of neutrality has recently been the basis of highly controversial debate. Emphasis has been placed on the interactions of the analyst, in particular the use of self-disclosures. Analysts have examined the outcomes of neutrality and self-disclosure in the analytical process. These authors have purported mixed stances. Some analysts have advocated neutrality. Others have endorsed self-disclosure (e. g. , Mills, 2005; Shill, 2004; Meissner, 1998). It will be argued that, similarly to Batman, it is advantageous to adhere to guiding principles, and therefore maintain neutrality as an analyst. Primarily, Freud felt strongly about psychoanalysis as a science and attempted to establish its analytical objectivity. In his paper (1912), Freud utilized the metaphor of a surgeon, who set aside all feelings and beliefs to retain uninterrupted concentration, in order to convey that the analyst should be someone who rearticulates and annotates the patients comments while remaining non-pejorative. Added to this metaphor, Freud explained the concept of a mirror, which has since become synonymous with neutrality and abstinence . In contrast, Ferenczi attempted to promote psychoanalysis on a more interpersonal and interactive level. In consultations with patients, Ferenczi expressed an empathetic attunement and warmth to the patient, sharing feelings, thoughts and observations that were not only related to the therapy, but also his personal life (Meissner, 1998). This synergism between patient and therapist, wherein Ferenczi disclosed to patients, was a direct challenge to the principles of neutrality, consequently resulting in the main theoretical impetus for the movement towards a more interactive analytical process. The Freud-Ferenczi, neutral-interpersonal, debate has continued throughout the history of analytic treatment. The patients autonomy, guidance towards the analytic process, and the influence on interventions are aspects of the analytic process which have been scrutinized. According to Greenberg (1986), neutralism maximizes the patients autonomy in the analytical process. As the patient engages in giving an account of the illness or condition, a detailed inquest is recorded by the therapist. The patients role is organized by the prerequisite of the freedom to express and this is counterbalanced with the analysts prerequisite, which is structured to sanction, listening and understanding (Mills, 2005). There is a synergic effect from roles of both the patients and analysts, and this establishes a vehicle for destabilizing the neurotic equilibrium. On the other hand, the analyst can participate more in the analytic process by self-disclosing.   Argued that interactions, such as self-disclosure, are two-fold. Firstly, the patient participates less and important areas of the account may be obscured. Secondly, without open expression and interaction from the analyst, the patient may feel inhibited to further explore personal affects. However, this prompting may be problematic. The patient may be more likely conform to, rather than challenge, the ideas of the analyst and consequently providing a false account (Shill, 2004). Analytical neutrality can overcome this fault. As a result of maximum concentration, the analyst can easily identify the areas that require attention when conducting the analysis. The analyst can probe these areas by asking carefully devised questions in order to o pen dialogue allowing for greater self-examination by the patient. In light of this solution, analytic neutrality is advantageous to self-disclosure techniques as neutrality can empower [the patient], rather than encourag[e] a dependency on analyst as problem solver (McIlwain, 2007). Likewise, the code of Batman not only maximizes his autonomy in fighting crime, it also provides a medium in which he can control and channel his attention towards doing good. Just as Batmans code offers guidance in how to handle foes, neutrality is also acts guiding ideal that is formed and informs all of the analysts actions and attitudes in the analytic process (McWilliams, 2003). Contrast to the rigid constraint on human responsiveness as depicted by Meissner (1998), the neutral analytic structure establishes a vital contribution to the integrity and nature of the methodological process. Freud noted the analytic process is defined by transference, which involves a distortion of reality. Neutrality and abstinence permits the transference to unfold relatively uninfluenced by direction from the analyst. This provides the analysis with the internal freedom required to observe the patients distortions in reality. Alternatively, self-disclosures offer an external means to the analyst in probing transference. Whereas neutrality guides the analyst in conducting the analytic process, the interpersonal approach lacks an analogous reference point. This attenuates the analytic process as the interactions and disclosures of the therapist remain unguided. In order to establish the use of self-disclosures as an alternative analytical technique, it is necessary to delineate a protocol in which to match various analytic circumstances to appropriate self-disclosures, albeit a non verbatim procedure (Roberts, 1997). Therefore, neutrality as a principle plays a significant role in guiding the therapist in the analytical process and is advantageous to interpersonal techniques such as self-disclosures. However, according to critics it is impossible to observe neutrality in an analytical relationship. Shill (2004) regards analytic neutralism as ill-conceived as the implicated subjectivity is irreducible and the analyst is provided with unwarranted authority. Similarly, academics (e. g. Mills, 2005) which support interpersonal approaches with patients argue that, even in a neutral context, the analyst inevitably has expectations for the patient that can influence the intervention (McWilliams, 2003). In an attempt to provide a solution to this challenge, one can propose that neutrality may serve as the foundations upon which the analyst can gain a deeper understanding of their personal expectations and how these may impact upon the intervention. Rosenfarb (2010) suggested that whilst probing a patient , neutrality may allow for the identification of areas that require attention when formulating the intervention. This can be juxtaposed to the subjective intrusions that occur with self-disclosing techniques. Not only do self-disclosing techniques interfere with how the patient is examined, they can also result in the denial of appropriate interventions (Shill, 2004). The inevitable expectations that psychoanalysts usually have for their patients may have a significant influence on intervention. However, the use of neutrality may be essential when devising appropriate interventions for the patient. Another criticism is that the analytical neutrality tends to disengage the patient from the analyst (Meissner, 1998). Some critics suggest that although neutrality remains equidistant from the requirements of the drives, ego, and superego, it does not preclude the existence of the intent of the therapy (Greenberg, 1986). Alternatively, proponents of neutrality assert that although neutrality may be passive in nature, there is still involvement between patient and analyst (Mills, 2007). One can suggest that as the participant-observer relationship exists, in the essence that the analyst inevitably interacts with the patient, neutrality precludes disengagement the patient. In conclusion, the patients autonomy, guidance towards the analytic process, and the influence on interventions are aspects of the analytic process in which neutrality is advantageous to self-disclosing techniques. Through thorough evaluation it is evident that, similarly to Batmans personal code which acts as a guiding force in his assignment to fighting crime, neutrality functions to guide the analysts in the analytic process. With adherence to a code which is intended to non-pejoratively help others, one can conclude that psychoanalysts are Batman.

I Quit How to Resign from Your Job With Professionalism

I Quit How to Resign from Your Job With Professionalism â€Å"I quit.† Seems easy, right? Like everything else in this world, not so much. You could send that very-on-the-nose note to announce your departure, but it’s really poor form. If you’re ready to move on to a new position, or you just can’t deal with your job any longer, there’s a process to sending a good and proper resignation letter. No matter how POed you are on your way out the door, you’ll be thankful later that you took the time to send a well-crafted, anger-neutral letter or email to your (soon to be former) boss.1. Why Send a Letter  2. When to Send the Letter  3. How to Send the Letter  4. What to Write  5. What Not to Write  6. The Sample Letter  Why Send a Letter?  Different  offices have many different ways to reach someone: interoffice chat, phone, email, meetings, coffee machine ambush, etc. So why go the official resignation letter route? It leaves a paper trail, in case there’s any question later abo ut timing, or your intent to leave. You can tell people you’re leaving through any channel, but you should always tell your boss first, and make sure that you follow up with an official letter. That way, he or she can forward it as necessary, and HR will have an official document and be able to start any necessary exit processes.When to Send the Letter  The timing on the letter varies according to a few different factors. First, always check your company’s HR policies. When you started, you may have signed something agreeing to give a particular amount of notice. Two weeks (10 business days) is an informal standard, but definitely double-check to make sure that this is a courtesy and not a legal requirement. If your start date at your new place is in two weeks and your current company requires three weeks’ notice, then things could get sticky. If you kept your onboarding documents at your current job, you can check those. Otherwise, a discreet email to HR shou ld be able to resolve the question for you, without advertising to everyone that you’re on your way out the door.When It’s Okay to LeakIf you have a good relationship with your boss, you should also plan to give him or her an unofficial heads-up before you send the official resignation note. Getting a formal announcement out of nowhere can feel like blindsiding, especially if you have a good working relationship.  Employees in the United States change their job once every three years on averageSo you might want to precede the whole process with a quick face-to-face meeting (as private as you can get it), and let your manager know that you’re leaving for a new job, or just leaving. You’re not obligated to go into great detail, about what your next steps are after you leave, but given that this person will likely be responsible for handling your duties in the interim and for initiating a search for You 2.0, a heads-up will likely be appreciated. Itâ€℠¢s a professional, respectful way to set the tone for your leaving.If you are genuinely worried about your manager having a bad reaction to the news, you can skip this step and go straight to the letter, or go through your HR department. Otherwise, most professional people accept this as a fact of life in the workplace, and will accept your resignation with the same level of graciousness that you put into it. Once you’ve sorted out the amount of notice you’ll be giving and have given your manager the courtesy heads-up, it’s time to hand over the letter.How to Send the Letter  If your company is one that handles everything via email, you can probably get away with emailing your resignation to your boss (after the face-to-face meeting). As a rule, though, it’s best to go the analog route and have a printed, signed version. If possible, have it printed, signed, and ready to go for your meeting with your boss. There’s no need to send it through the m ail, or recruit a singing telegram-ist to deliver the letter. If you don’t have it ready for your face-to-face meeting, make sure to hand it to your boss shortly afterward- you don’t want there to be any conflict over the amount of official notice you’re giving.What to Write  The content of a resignation letter is pretty straightforward. There’s no need to write a novel, with plotlines or long, tear-stained devotional passages about how you haven’t slept since you decided it was time to part ways with the company. The letter should have just the most straightforward information, with a little of your own voice thrown in:Greeting (addressed to your boss)I resign.My last day in the office will be†¦I appreciate the opportunities I’ve had in this role†¦I will be available to help with any transition duties, or training a replacement staff member.Thanks!RELATED:  5 Points to Hit in Your Resignation Letter Pretty simple. It’s not the place to weigh in on your replacement, or ask if you’ll get paid for unused vacation days. The purpose of the resignation letter is just to get it in writing that you are leaving in X amount of time.For a quick overview on how to handle the resignation process, Howdini has a great video:What NOT to Write (Or, Don’t Burn Bridges)  The resignation letter is also definitely not the time for axe-grinding. (That’s more of a venting-to-friends activity, not to be committed to paper.) If your boss is a jerk, or you can’t work for the company for X, Y, Z reasons, it doesn’t matter here. If you can’t quite manage a friendly tone, go for a civil one. And if you can’t find anything good to say about your time there, dig deep and†¦fib a little, if you need to.You may be about to blow this popsicle stand, but keep in mind that you’re probably not quitting to go live in a wifi-less cabin somewhere. You’ll be moving on t o other jobs, possibly even in the same industry. And people talk, especially when there’s good gossip. You want to be known as a consummate professional, especially as you’re gearing up to start somewhere new. The last thing you want is for your new boss to catch wind of a tantrum thrown on your way out of your last job. So even if the circumstances of your leaving are less than ideal, shake off the anger/annoyance/temptation and be gracious in your parting letter. If you really need to get some residual anger out of your system, funnel it all into an â€Å"I quit† movie marathon. Never forget that this letter will be part of the official record in your company. It will be seen by your boss, yes, but also HR and goodness knows who else. Please apply the same policy you should apply to all workplace communications: don’t write anything you wouldn’t want to be posted for the entire company to see.The Sample Letter  Hey Michael,I quit. I have a bet ter job offer, and honestly can’t stand the idiots in this office any longer.Bye,DwightUmm, no. Not only is this the wrong tone and unnecessarily antagonistic, it leaves out important information like an end date, and basic niceties like a â€Å"thank you.† Let’s try that again.Yo Michael, The time has come to say goodbye†¦Ã‚  So yeah, this is an official note to say I quit†¦Ã‚  It is with a heavy heart and a veil of tears that I announce I will be resigning†¦Ã‚  Dear Michael,  Please accept this note as a formal notification that I am resigning my position as Assistant (to the) Regional Manager to pursue other opportunities. My last day will be March 18, 2024.  I really appreciate the opportunities I’ve had here these past 12 years, and hope you know how much I’ve learned and grown in my role. I’ve learned an incredible amount about how to market and sell paper, both from our colleagues here and our clients. Over the next two weeks, I’d like to work with you on any necessary training or transition duties as I wrap up my time here.  I know the company will continue to have great success, and am so thankful to have been a part of it for so long. Please don’t hesitate to let me know if you have any questions, or if there’s anything you’d like to discuss about my departure.Best wishes,DwightMuch better! Resignation letters are hard because you’re writing an official document, so it may sound a little stiff or formal by default. Definitely err on the side of formality, because again- you never know who will be seeing this once you release it at work. It’s okay to make it sound like your regular voice, but just make sure you’re not going too informal, and that you’re hitting all the necessary elements (gracious tone, end date, availability to help with the transition up until that date).So while it might be tempting to create a stir on your way out (possibly involving Kanye West), you will never go wrong with a thoughtful, clear, and definitive resignation letter. It may be tempting to dismiss your current job as old news, or use this as a chance to burn someone or the company on the way out, but if you resist that urge, you’ll be the better for it later on. Viral social media stardom is fleeting, but your reputation is forever.