`[This book's] fundamental thesis is a rather challenging one - the idea that the unified, singular "self", which we all take for granted we possess, does not exist... fascinating and important... I will certainly revisit the book... when you're ready for a challenge, this book is certainly worth dipping into' - Counselling News
`I thoroughly recommend this book. I found it challenging, provocative, exciting and full of delights. (It makes such a change to be told that ideal personality characteristics would include a Monty Pythonesque sense of humour and a tolerance of mind-altering drugs!) While reading it I often felt nourished and refreshed' - The Journal of Critical Psychology, Counselling and Psychotherapy
With the emergence of postmodern thinking, the notion of a unified, singular `self' appears increasingly problematic. Yet for many, postmodernism's proclamation of `the death of the subject' is equally problematic. As a response to this dilemma, there has been a rise of interest in pluralistic models of the `self' in which the person is conceptualized as a multiplicity of subpersonalities, as a plurality of existential possibilities or as a `being' which is inextricably in-dialogue-with-others.
Bringing together many disciplines, and with contributions from foremost writers on self-pluralism, The Plural Self overviews and critiques this emerging field. Drawing together theory, research and practice, the book expands on both the psychological and philosophical theories underlying and associated with self-pluralism, and presents empirical evidence in support of the self-pluralistic perspective, exploring its application within a clinical and therapeutic setting.
Table of Contents:
Introduction - Mick Cooper and John Rowan
Self-Plurality: The One and the Many
PART ONE: THEORY
The Normal Development of Subpersonalities - John Rowan
The Alter Ego and D[ac]ej[gr]a Vu Phenomena - James S Grotstein
Notes and Reflections
If You Can′t Be Jekyll Be Hyde - Mick Cooper
An Existential-Phenomenological Perspective on Lived-Plurality
Life inside Dialogically Structured Mentalities - John Shotter
Bakhtin′s and Volosinov′s Account of Our Mental Activities as out in the World between Us
Postmodern Culture and the Plural Self - Leon Rappoport, Steve Baumgardner and George Boone
PART TWO: RESEARCH
The Polyphony of the Mind - Hubert J M Hermans
A Multivoiced and Dialogical Self
The Multiple Brain and the Unity of Experience - Brian Lancaster
Multiplicity in Cross-Cultural Perspective - Ruth-Inge Heinze
Individual Differences in Pluralism in Self-Structure - John Altrocchi
Subpersonalities and Multiple Personalities - Colin A Ross
A Dissociative Continuum?
PART THREE: PRACTICE
Facilitating the Expression of Subpersonalities - Mick Cooper and Helen Cruthers
A Review and Analysis of Techniques
The Doorway into the Inner Deeper World Is the Instant of Peak Feeling in the Scene of Strong Feeling - Alvin R Mahrer
The Internal Family Systems Model - Richard C Schwartz
Pathways between the Multiplicities of the Psyche and Culture - Mary Watkins
The Development of Dialogical Capacities
About the Author :
Mick Cooper is Professor of Counselling Psychology at the University of Roehampton, where he is Director of the Centre for Research in Social and Psychological Transformation (CREST). Mick is a chartered psychologist, a UKCP registered psychotherapist, and a Fellow of the BACP. Mick is author and editor of a range of texts on person-centred, existential and relational approaches to therapy; including Working at Relational Depth in Counselling and Psychotherapy (2005, SAGE, with Dave Mearns), Pluralistic Counselling and Psychotherapy (2011, SAGE, with John McLeod) and Existential Therapies (2nd edn, 2017, SAGE). Mick has led a series of research studies exploring the processes and outcomes of humanistic counselling with young people. Mick is the father of four children and lives in Brighton on the south coast of England.
Review :
`I thoroughly recommend this book. I found it challenging, provocative, exciting and full of delights. (It makes such a change to be told that ideal personality characteristics would include a Monty Pythonesque sense of humour and a tolerance of mood-altering drugs!) While reading it I often felt nourished and refreshed.... So I advise you to give the many selves you are a treat, and read this book′ - The Journal of Critical Psychology, Counselling and Psychotherapy
`[This book′s] fundamental thesis is a rather challenging one - the idea that the unified, singular "self", which we all take for granted we possess, does not exist... fascinating and important.... I will certainly revisit the book... when you′re ready for a challenge, this book is certainly worth dipping into′ - Counselling News
`A useful contribution to a field that is as important as it is impenetrable, the nature of lived experience′ - Counselling
`The perspectives articulated in this book are important, the chapters are well written, and many of the ideas are intriguing. It is a useful book that should appeal to students and researchers in personality-social psychology, and therapists who are interested in relevant therapeutic techniques and their theoretical and empirical background.′ - Personality and Individual Differences
`I thoroughly recommend this book. I found it challenging, provocative, exciting and full of delights. (It makes such a change to be told that ideal personality characteristics would include a Monty Pythonesque sense of humour and a tolerance of mind-altering drugs!) While reading it I often felt nourished and refreshed′ - The Journal of Critical Psychology, Counselling and Psychotherapy
