Psychodynamic and Psychoanalytical Theory, Approaches and Clinical Relevance: Applying the Psychoanalytic Principles and Practices to Mental Health Nursing

Abstract

Spurred by the original contribution of Peplau, who in turn was inspired by Harry ‘Stack’ Sullivan’s work, the notion of interpersonal, psychoanalytical-based Psychiatric/Mental Health (P/MH) Nursing has both a relatively long history and contemporary currency. This history notwithstanding examination of the current relevant literature and patterns of P/MH Nursing practice in Europe and the rest of the world indicates that psychoanalytical P/MH Nursing has ‘fallen out of favour’, in much the same way that psychoanalytical psychotherapy has passed its zenith. However, psychoanalysis in the twenty-first century now, due mainly to the advances in our understanding of neuroscience over the last 20 years, has an increasing body of work that validates and/or lends credibility to several traditional psychoanalytic concepts (Solms and Turnbull 2002). With its origins firmly located in mental health/psychological thinking, aspects of psychoanalytical principles can now be detected in some higher education programmes, in analysis of institutional function, in understanding and helping family and group processes/dynamics and in other related domains such as anthropology. Within the domain of mental health care, it is difficult to ignore the significant historical influence that psychoanalytic thinking, principles and practices have had. And concomitantly, in P/MH Nursing, this influence is clearly evident in the work of Hildegard Peplau. Peplau established in her book Interpersonal Relations in Nursing (1952) the first theoretical and practical bridge between psychoanalysis and nursing under what later came to be known as the school of interpersonal psychoanalysis. In this chapter we continue to explore that bridge between psychoanalysis and Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing.