Anxiety and Social Defenses: A Psychoanalytic Organizational Psychology

Reviews the book, Containing Anxiety in Institutions: Selected Essays, Vol. 1 by Isabel Menzies Lyth (see record 1989-97354-000). The publication of a two volume series of selected papers and essays by Isabel Menzies Lyth, for about 30 years one of the leading figures at the Tavistock Institute of Human Relations, should make abundantly clear the power and richness of a psychoanalytically informed organizational psychology as developed by a creative and humane theorist and practitioner. Approximately of volume 1 comprises four chapters which detail Menzies' thinking about these issues, as well as describe various attempts to produce changes in care-taking organizations, in order to make them more responsive and sensitive to the needs of their young patients. The reviewer believes this volume amply demonstrates, when they are brought together by a sensitive, thoughtful, and dedicated theorist and practitioner like Menzies, the result is extraordinarily impressive and compelling. This collection strongly argues for extending the reach of psychoanalysis and for developing models of training which introduce more clinical perspectives into the organizational and management sciences. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)