Michael Eigen

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Michael Eigen
Eigen lecture.png
Born(1936-01-11)11 January 1936
NationalityAmerican
Occupation Psychoanalyst
Known forMysticism in psychoanalysis
SpouseBetty Gitelman
Children2

Michael (Mike) Eigen (born January 11, 1936) is an American psychologist and psychoanalyst. [1] He is the author of 27 books and numerous papers. He has given a private seminar on Donald Winnicott, Wilfred Bion, Jacques Lacan and his own work since the 1970s. [2] Eigen is known for his work with patients "who had been given up on by others", [3] including people who experience psychosis.

Contents

Biography

Eigen was born in Passaic, New Jersey, to a Jewish family, [4] the son of Jeanette (née Brody), a teacher, and Sol, a lawyer. [5] Eigen received his B.A. (with honors) in 1957 from the University of Pennsylvania and his PhD in 1974 from The New School. [2] [5] He married Betty Gitelman on December 27, 1980. Betty is also a therapist. Eigen stated that he admires her and says that she “can help and treat people no one else can help.” [6] They have two sons, David and Jacob.

Therapeutic approach

Eigen relates to his patients with humility and curiosity. He learns from his patients. [3] In talking about his approach to therapy, he stated that "I am hoping, praying that something real, useful, something that touches another soul happens, something that helps others feel how much there is to feel, how precious psychic reality is, how precious and complex and amazing we are." [7]

Mysticism

Eigen integrates mysticism and spirituality into his work with psychoanalysis. [8] [9] He draws on the work of a number of analysts and spiritual traditions in this work. [1] He explained that he is "not a scholar, systematic reader, or follower of any school." [3] Eigen is particularly engaged with the work of Wilfred Bion. Eigen described how "Bion uses many images and expressions from religious and mystical life to portray psychoanalytic processes." [10]

Writings

Selected articles

Books

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Daws, Loray (2022). Michael Eigen: A Contemporary Introduction. Routledge. doi:10.4324/9781003002871. ISBN   9781003002871 . Retrieved 6 April 2025.
  2. 1 2 "Michael Eigen, Ph.D." NYU Arts & Science. Archived from the original on 4 June 2023. Retrieved 6 April 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 Eigen, Michael (1998). Shivers. In J. Reppen (Ed.) Why I Became a Psychotherapist. Aronson, 1998, pp. 81-85.
  4. Michael Eigen, The Electrified Tightrope, ed. Adam Phillips, New York: Routledge, 2018 [1993].
  5. 1 2 Contemporary Authors: A Bio-Bibliographical Guide to Current Writers in Fiction, General Nonfiction, Poetry, Journalism, Drama, Motion Pictures, Television, 1985, p. 145.
  6. Therapist from the Depths: A Conversation with Michael Eigen - TikkunTikkun. 21 May 2013, https://www.tikkun.org/therapist-from-the-depths-a-conversation-with-michael-eigen/.
  7. Michael Eigen, 2020, Dialogues with Michael Eigen : psyche singing. Relational perspectives book series.
  8. 1 2 Fuchsman, Ken; Cohen, Keri S., eds. (2021). Healing, Rebirth and the Work of Michael Eigen: Collected Essays on a Pioneer in Psychoanalysis. Taylor & Francis. ISBN   9781000338669 . Retrieved 6 April 2025.
  9. Bar Nes, Alice (2021). "Eigen: Faith and turbulence – The psychoanalytic mystic". Psychoanalysis, Mysticism and the Problem of Epistemology: Defining the Indefinable. Routledge. doi:10.4324/9781003200796. ISBN   9781003200796 . Retrieved 6 April 2025.
  10. Michael Eigen, The Psychoanalytic Mystic, 1998
  11. 1 2 Bagai, Robin (2022). Commentaries on the Work of Michael Eigen: Oblivion and Wisdom, Madness and Music. Taylor & Francis. ISBN   9781000685824 . Retrieved 6 April 2025.
  12. 1 2 3 4 Bloch, Stephen; Daws, Loray, eds. (2018). Living Moments: On the Work of Michael Eigen. London: Routledge. ISBN   9780429915765 . Retrieved 6 April 2025.
  13. Schermer, Victor L (Spring 2001). "Review: The Psychoanalytic Mystic". The Journal of Psychotherapy Practice and Research. 10 (2): 137–138. PMC   3330642 .
  14. Newton, Kathleen (Jul 1999). "Review: The Psychoanalytic Mystic". International Journal of Psychotherapy. 4 (2): 248–251.
  15. Gold, Naomi (Spring 1999). "Review: The Psychoanalytic Mystic". Canadian Journal of Psychoanalysis. 7 (1): 140–143. Retrieved 6 April 2025.
  16. 1 2 Cohen, Keri S.; Daws, Loray, eds. (2024). Toxic Nourishment and Damaged Bonds in the Work of Michael Eigen: Working with the Obstructive Object. Taylor & Francis. ISBN   9781040032459 . Retrieved 6 April 2025.
  17. Hudak, Glenn M. (March 2004). "Book Review: ECSTASY. By Michael Eigen". Journal of Religion & Health. 43 (1): 76–78. doi:10.1023/B:JORH.0000009987.09472.8b.
  18. 1 2 Daws, Loray; Cohen, Keri S., eds. (2024). Primary Process Impacts and Dreaming the Undreamable Object in the Work of Michael Eigen: Becoming the Welcoming Object. London: Routledge. doi:10.4324/9781003322993. ISBN   9781003322993 . Retrieved 6 April 2025.
  19. Molofsky, Merle (Sep 2020). "The Challenge of Being Human, by Michael Eigen". American Journal of Psychoanalysis. 80 (3): 379–381. doi:10.1057/s11231-020-09254-y.
  20. Del Nevo, Michael (2023). "Book Review: Dialogues with Michael Eigen: Psyche Singing" . The European Legacy. 28 (5): 541–544. doi:10.1080/10848770.2023.2178738 . Retrieved 6 April 2025.

Further reading