Harry Stack Sullivan

Conceptions of Modern Psychiatry is a book written by renowned psychiatrist Harry Stack Sullivan. In this book, Sullivan explores the history of psychiatry and its evolution into the modern field that it is today. He discusses the major theories and trends that have shaped the field, including psychoanalysis, behaviorism, and humanistic psychology. Sullivan also delves into the role of the psychiatrist in society and the ethical considerations that come with treating mental illness. Throughout the book, Sullivan emphasizes the importance of understanding the individual patient and their unique experiences, rather than simply relying on diagnostic labels or generalizations. This book is a valuable resource for anyone interested in the history and practice of psychiatry, as well as those seeking a deeper understanding of mental illness and its treatment.This is a new release of the original 1948 edition.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

This five-session seminar, organized during 1946-47 for the psychiatric residents at Sheppard-Pratt, specifically covered the case of a young male schizophrenic who was being treated by Dr. Robert Kvarnes, then a participating resident. Each session included the case presentation by Dr. Kvarnes, the posing of a discussion question by Sullivan, his exchanges with the participants, and his extended closing comments on major clinical issues. The publication of this seminar provides a demonstration of Sullivan at work as a teacher. His unusual sensitivity to young male schizophrenics and his delicacy in perceiving and reacting to anxiety in therapeutic interactions are reflected in the seminar. The contemporary discussions, conducted by Dr. Kvarnes, now director of the Washington School of Psychiatry, Washington, D.C., follow each of the original seminar sessions, consider the seminar content itself, and show the differences that twenty-five years have made in the various trends in therapy and in salient social programs. Also included is additional historical material about the seminar the participants, and Sullivan.

Amongst clinicians, Sullivan is probably best known for his early work with schizophrenics at the Sheppard and Enoch Pratt Hospital in Towson, Maryland. Yet this fame has been largely legendary, since the only full record of this work is found scattered through various professional journals and monographs published more than twenty-five years ago and in an unpublished book written in the thirties, Personal Psychopathology. In this present book of selected papers, the author has tried to reconstruct this work by bringing together what he considers to be the most crucial of these papers.

The chapters in this book, focusing on Sullivan’s contributions to American social science, deal with the implications for psychiatry of the major social questions that emerged in the 1930’s and 1940’s. Some of the topics are propaganda and censorship; the illusion of personal individuality; and the meaning of anxiety.

This is a book for all those working in the field of psychiatric disorder. It will be invaluable to medical students and doctors training in general practice, emergency medicine and psychiatry. At a time when the assessment of psychiatric patients is the responsibility of a range of clinicians, The Psychiatric Interview will also be of assistance to clinical psychologists, social workers and psychiatric nurses. It will also have a place as a reference book for police and security officers.