Beyond Death Anxiety: Achieving Life-Affirming Death Awareness
"\ This book fruitfully serves those looking to apply Ernest Becker?s ideas psychotherapeutically, in individual counseling or in group therapy. A capstone to Robert Firestone?s 50 years of work in psychotherapy, psychoanalysis and psychiatry and to the numerous books written by these authors, Firestone and Catlett show how to apply the themes and implications of the ideas of Ernest Becker in everyday life. Their basic premise is that accepting death is part of developing an affirming and...
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"... fascinating and an enjoyable read....steeped in well researched and relevant psychological and sociological perspectives applicable to all social studies areas..."--Carol Lloyd University of Chichester""Firestone and Catlett's work is a marvelous achievement....This volume is both innovative and intrepid. Firestone and Catlett challenge prevailing psychoanalytic views on death and they demolish many of the accepted canons of thanatology and existential psychology. ...This is required reading for anyone who purports to talk about death." -- Jerry Piven, PhD Author of Death and Delusion: A Freudian Analysis of Mortal Terror "[A] towering synthesis of personal and clinical wisdom about death....with a superb overview of the psychology of death and death anxiety....Dr. Firestone draws on the best of the existential-humanistic as well as the psychoanalytic thinkers to address a flourishing path toward self-realization."-Kirk J. Schneider, PhD Author, Existential-Integrative Psychotherapy and Awakening to Awe(From the Foreword)Firestone and Catlett's groundbreaking volume assists mental health practitioners in helping their clients learn to accept and face their mortality. They describe the many defenses of death anxiety that keep individuals from achieving personal fulfillment, and also suggest methods to cope directly with fears of death; an approach that, ironically, can lead to more satisfaction, more freedom, and a greater appreciation for the gift of life. This book examines the many destructive consequences of death anxiety, including introversion, depression, and withdrawal from life. Throughout the book, the authors demonstrate the importance of achieving what they call life-affirming death awareness. Key topics include: The dawning awareness of death and its impact on the developing child Literal and symbolic defenses against death anxiety Separation theory and "the fantasy bond" Challenging the defenses that interfere with living fully Microsuicide: the death of the spirit Breaking with limiting religious dogma and cultural worldviews With this book, mental health practitioners and their clients will be able to better understand death awareness, overcome the defenses against death anxiety, and ultimately lead richer, more fulfilling lives.
Pt. I The Subjective Impact of Death Awareness and Its Denial 11 Overview 32 The Uncharted Terrain of Death 153 The Dawning Awareness of Death and Its Impact on the Developing Child 294 The Effects of Death Anxiety in Everyday Life 575 Literal and Symbolic Defenses Against Death Anxiety 836 Microsuicide: Death of the Spirit 107Pt. II Core Defenses Against Death Anxiety 1337 The Basic Defense Against Death Anxiety: The Fantasy Bond 1358 Separation Theory, the Voice, and Voice Therapy 163Pt. III Choosing Life With the Full Realization of Death 1919 Challenging Defenses That Interfere With Living Fully 19310 The Value of Psychotherapy 22711 Facing Death With Equanimity and Appropriate Feelings 25512 Learning to Love 28513 Dimensions of a Meaningful Life 30914 My Life and Legacy Robert W. Firestone Firestone, Robert W. 341References 355Index 375
