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THE NEW EDITION of Dr. Singer's book is identical to the 1965 version except for the addition of a new preface and an epilogue on "The Limitation and Danger of Theory in Psychotherapy." With or without those additions, the book is worth reading. It is really a comprehensive comparision of views about the key concepts of psychotherapy. The primary comparison on all issues is between a theory that sees an inherently regressive pull in human nature (Freud) and an orientation toward man's predominant desire to progress, expand, and self-actualize (Sullivan, Rogers, and others).
The book gives extensive coverage to a broad range of significant issues, beginning with the historical and philosophical roots of psychotherapy and then turning to its theoretical and empirical foundations. The author's discussion of these foundations brings the reader into contact with evidence ranging from animal studies to work in extrasensory perception and subliminal perception. Later chapters deal with goals, symptoms, interpretation, resistance, transference, countertransference, and other important topics.
Again and again, Singer summarizes Freud's position on an issue and then compares it to that taken by those who view man as self-actualizing. Although Singer's preference is clear, his book does not impress one as an attack on Freud but rather as a clear comparison of views—an approach which, I believe, is especially valuable for students of psychotherapy. It has been my impression that students being exposed to many teachers or supervisors of various psychoanalytic persuasions learn several positions simultaneously. Because of the similarity, at many points, in the technique of doing therapy, students often do not realize that differences in theoretical positions do exist. Some examples are drawn from