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Reflections. Stephen A. Mitchell. Pp. 133-140.
Teaching Sullivanian Interpresonalism. Gerard Chrzanowski. Pp. 140-152.
In the first of these three essays on teaching interpersonal psychoanalysis, Crowley broadly points out that the difficulty in teaching Sullivan results from the current lack of care, interest in, and respect for persons in the society. Other difficulties stem from the passage of time since Sullivan wrote, the taking for granted of his initiation of the object relations position in this country, the emergence of new "stars," and our tendency to seek secure theoretical positions which tell us what to do rather than encouraging us to think. Mitchell proposes that Sullivan is rarely credited for his contributions to theory, such as the concept of the interpersonal field, the workings of anxiety, and issues of self-esteem, or for his contributions to technique, such as the principle of participant-observation in its application to the problem of countertransference. As to the reason for this disregard, Mitchell suggests that Sullivan's difficult prose style and his lack of integration and formalization of his works based on his wariness about the misuse of theory are responsible for the wide-spread misunderstanding of his legacy. Familiarizing the student with texts rich in clinical material and exposing them to the importance of the oral tradition in regard to Sullivan's contributions are suggested as ways to overcome mistaken impressions and omissions. Most important, Mitchell asserts that Sullivan's work should be presented in a balanced historical perspective that does not compete with Freud's contributions. Chrzanowski believes that teaching open-ended constructs based on a broad foundation of epistemological and clinical considerations of implied validity offers many difficulties to the student. This transactional model defies specific formulae. A sketch of the authors' experiences of teaching Sullivan in different cultures is presented