Book Review: Sartre & Psychoanalysis

Every once in a rare while a text comes along whose intellectual impact is such that it makes one want to shout: 'Please, whatever you do, READ THIS BOOK!' Betty Cannon's Sartre & Psychoanalysis is a perfect case example of such a book.

Unfortunately, the task of reviewing texts of this calibre becomes problematic. Where to begin? What to say? What to leave out? Let me merely outline the main concerns of the text. Following a brief introductory chapter, the remaining chapters focus on: 1) a critical comparison of Sartre's and Freud's metapsychologies; 2) a critical (Sartrean) analysis of post-Freudian drive theories; 3) possible steps toward an integration of Sartrean and post-Freudian relational theories with emphasis on a theory of the Self; 4) an interpretation of Sartre's later Sociomaterial theory and its significance to Existential Psychoanalysis; 5) Sartre vs Lacan. And, as if this weren't enough, clearly-presented and specific implications for psychotherapy are discussed throughout the text, and, in the final chapter, the relationship between Sartrean Metatheory and Psychotherapeutic practice is outlined and presented concretely via an extended case study example.

Throughout, Cannon's presentation and analysis is impeccably clear and forthright. Although she is clearly an admirer (and admirable interpreter) of Sartre's work, she is more than capable in pointing out areas where she is either in disagreement with or remains uncertain about Sartre's position. More to the point, Cannon makes it her task to point out to readers the significance, implications and applications of Sartre's metatheory to psychoanalytic theory and practice. She succeeds admirably in this task, all the more so because, in many cases, her arguments and conclusions concerning applied Sartrean philosophy, as well as being stunningly original, shed critical light not only upon psychoanalytic practice, but (if implicitly) upon Psychotherapeutic practice in general. Indeed, if I have one criticism of the text it is that it remains too tightly bound to an analysis and critical dissection of psychoanalytic thought and practice. There can be no doubt (certainly not after reading Cannon's book) of Sartre's impact (both existent and potential) upon psychoanalysis; but Sartre also, and perhaps even more significantly, had a central role to play in the development of 'humanistic' approaches to psychotherapy. While it is arguable that many, if not all, of these approaches contain significant misunderstandings of Sartre's views, these self-same views remain the source-point and inspiration of humanistic theory. As far as I am aware, no book dealing adequately with a critical analysis of Sartre's influence upon and relationship to humanistic theory exists as yet. I suppose it was too much to ask that Cannon tackle this task in a text already overabundant with ideas and insight but on the basis of her efforts thus far, one can but hope that she will turn her attention to these issues in a future text.

I cannot praise this book too highly. For anyone interested in existential analysis, and most especially anyone practising such, Cannon's text is required reading. Thankfully, it is also pleasurable and eloquent reading, admirable for its clarity, authority and lack of academic pretension. In other words: a text destined to become a classic in the field.

Ernesto Spinelli