Engaging Psychoanalytic Disequilibrium While Being More Human Than Otherwise

Stefan R. Zicht's review of Irwin Hirsch's book "Coasting in the Countertransference" highlighted the conflicts between analysts' self-interests and patients' needs, emphasizing the importance of confronting analysts' narcissistic tendencies and personal biases to facilitate meaningful change. Hirsch used personal anecdotes to show how these self-interests impact therapeutic work and called for greater honesty and self-reflection among psychoanalysts. The book also touched on male pattern baldness in psychoanalytic literature and the role of money in psychoanalytic relationships. While Zicht appreciated the insights, he felt the book could have explored positive treatment outcomes and the necessity of analysts' failures more deeply. Despite some clutter from citations, the book was praised for its significant contribution to contemporary psychoanalytic literature and its practical application in clinical work.