SANDOR FERENCZI

Mention psychoanalysis, and most people of course think of Sigmund Freud. Lost in history is Freud's colleague Sandor Ferenczi, who dramatically expanded on what psychoanalysis could offer. He did this by exploring how the therapist's relationship with the patient could play a dynamic role in helping patients connect more deeply with their feelings, histories, and relational styles. Ferenczi was also at the forefront of understanding the impact of sexual trauma. Most radically, he experimented with alternating therapy sessions in which the therapist and patient took turns in the "patient" role. The Legacy of Sandor Ferenczi, by Lewis Aron and Adrienne Harris, brings his ideas alive and helps us expand our perceptions of what is possible in psychotherapy today.