Uses of Emotion: Nature's Vital Gift

Isaacs' simple realistic premise is that because emotion is a built-in mental process, it is always useful. He explores the why and how of those uses. Old questions in psychology are more satisfactorily answered and new questions are asked and answered. Among the many implications of the book we discern a broad panorama of new views about how personality develops, what are psychological health, illness, and effective treatment of disorders. Isaacs includes a never-before achieved clear path to prevention of a broad array of symptom disorders. Because Isaacs controverts hallowed common wisdom and points to defects and scientific weaknesses in all mainstream theories, tradition-bound readers may initially resist the ideas; ideas that for many readers are counterintuitive. An open-minded reading and use of the book may lead readers to conclude this is one of the more important psychology books of our period. This book is for all professionals and students dealing with uses of personality and for lay people interested in understanding the human mind.

Table of Contents:
Foreword by Matthew Enos Preface Introduction: "I Hate Being Angry" A New Understanding of Emotion thinking about Emotion Elements of a New Theory The Misguided Theory of Affect Storage and Regulation Affect Phobia: A Universal Human Condition Psychological Disorder and Treatment from a New Perspective Psychological Processes in Disorders Symptom Disorders The Meanings of Psychotherapy Affect as a Major Factor in Psychotherapy Conversations with Patients The Story of Freya: A Tutoring Sample The Biography of an Idea Encounters with Mainstream Psychology Unfamiliar Truths and Familiar Fallacies: Reflections on Science Epilogue: The Work Continues Appendix A: Relatability Appendix B: Glossary of Emotion Terms Suggested Readings Index

About the Author :
KENNETH S. ISAACS was the first chief psychologist of the State of Illinois out-patient clinic system—Mental Health Centers./e Later he was a faculty member at the University of Illinois Medical School. He was also a syndicated newspaper columnist. Isaacs is known in the profession as one of the founders and officers of several psychoanalytic psychology organizations. Currently he is chairman of the American Board of Psychoanalysis in Psychology and a member of the board of trustees of the American Board of Professional Psychology. He is a consultant to schools, universities, and corporations.

Review :
Well written and iconoclastic, this interesting volume is accessible to undergraduates and should be considered by academic libraries supporting programs teaching psychology and psychotherapy skills, particularly those wishing to represent alternative views.