Psychoanalysis has a bad reputation these days. It's treated as some sort of boogeyman: the cold, withholding analyst sitting silently behind the patient who is floundering on the couch. In fact, in terms of talk therapies, psychoanalysis offers a unique opportunity to delve deeply into what makes us tick, and to understand why we can end up doing things or being with people who aren't good for us. Analysis helps us bring buried feelings and thoughts to the surface. It also helps us see how we can erroneously project experiences from our childhood onto current relationships. One of the best books I know that outlines current analytic thinking is Owen Renick's Practical Psychoanalysis for Therapists and Patients. Through various case studies, Renick demonstrates how he actively listens to and participates in his patients' healing processes. The book is a joy to read and goes a long way in correcting any misconceptions about what psychoanalysis has to offer today.