Karen Horney (1885–1952)

German Psychiatrist Dr Karen Horney was part of the splinter group of Neo-Freudians which includes Swedish Psychoanalyst Erich Fromm , Alfred Adler etc. . Karen’s analytic theories and diagnosis revolve primarily around the average neurotic Joe (Jane) going about their daily routine as they struggle with their inner conflicts through various phases of life

While I am quite familiar with psychoanalytic theories from Freud to Lacan and it’s easy to get drawn into dark morbid recesses of show more the human psyche ; Karen brings to light a different aspect , something that does not get enough attention since on the surface as the “patient” may appear to be functioning “normally” . She holds Freud in high regard yet makes no qualms about her disagreement with him.

Considering this must have been written during the early 20 Century – was quite surprised how relevant it still is, the subject matter is quite comprehensive and very insightful , can get a bit repetitive at times . show less

The author was born in 1885 and trained as a psychiatrist and psycho-analyst. She had fundamental disagreements with Freud and is known as a Neo-Freudian. This book was written in 1950 and is considered her major work.
The author theorizes that unfavorable conditions for growth in a child create a basic anxiety which lead to dysfunctional coping mechanisms classified as neurosis. Her book is a discussion of the basic features and types of neurosis and their practical consequences. Contrary to show more the language in the title the book is not a work of psycho-babble. It is very accessible to the general reader and I was impressed by her common sense approach to her subject.
I felt that I learned a great deal from this book that applied directly to my life. I generally make an effort to avoid being a follower of another person's theory or guide on how to live my life. This book is an exception to my rule. Reading this book I developed a great deal of respect for the author's intelligence and experience dealing with human behavior. One reading of this book just scratched the surface of ideas and insights that will be very useful in my day to day life. Since I first began seeing a counselor when I was eight years old I am sure that I qualify as a neurotic person.
A good example of her approach is her chapter titled "The Tyranny of the Should". I am very familiar with how the things I feel I "should" do can run my life at times. The author explains how people develop a long list of items they should do in response to insecurity about how to be liked and successful. Then the failure to do something they should do brings on self-hate, which is another chapter in her book. There were many other features of neurotic behavior that I found interesting and useful.
The author uses examples from many sources to illustrate the different types of neurotic behavior she deals with in her book. Many of the examples from literature impressed me with her intelligence and the broad application of her theories. Her examples from her practice as a psycho-analyst showed a real compassion for her patients as individuals and that her work was based upon a real caring for people and was not just an intellectual exercise.
The last part of her book discusses the application of her theories in therapy. Combining her theories with these practical applications give me an excellent way to use her book in my life. I think that anyone can benefit from her practical insights into human behavior. I listened to an audio edition of this book and I will be sure to get a print copy for personal use. This is an exceptional book about human behavior. It is the culmination of a life's work from a uniquely intelligent and caring person. It has my highest recommendation.
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The author was born in 1885 and trained as a psychiatrist and psycho-analyst. She had fundamental disagreements with Freud and is known as a Neo-Freudian. This book was written in 1950 and is considered her major work.
The author theorizes that unfavorable conditions for growth in a child create a basic anxiety which lead to dysfunctional coping mechanisms classified as neurosis. Her book is a discussion of the basic features and types of neurosis and their practical consequences. Contrary to show more the language in the title the book is not a work of psycho-babble. It is very accessible to the general reader and I was impressed by her common sense approach to her subject.
I felt that I learned a great deal from this book that applied directly to my life. I generally make an effort to avoid being a follower of another person's theory or guide on how to live my life. This book is an exception to my rule. Reading this book I developed a great deal of respect for the author's intelligence and experience dealing with human behavior. One reading of this book just scratched the surface of ideas and insights that will be very useful in my day to day life. Since I first began seeing a counselor when I was eight years old I am sure that I qualify as a neurotic person.
A good example of her approach is her chapter titled "The Tyranny of the Should". I am very familiar with how the things I feel I "should" do can run my life at times. The author explains how people develop a long list of items they should do in response to insecurity about how to be liked and successful. Then the failure to do something they should do brings on self-hate, which is another chapter in her book. There were many other features of neurotic behavior that I found interesting and useful.
The author uses examples from many sources to illustrate the different types of neurotic behavior she deals with in her book. Many of the examples from literature impressed me with her intelligence and the broad application of her theories. Her examples from her practice as a psycho-analyst showed a real compassion for her patients as individuals and that her work was based upon a real caring for people and was not just an intellectual exercise.
The last part of her book discusses the application of her theories in therapy. Combining her theories with these practical applications give me an excellent way to use her book in my life. I think that anyone can benefit from her practical insights into human behavior. I listened to an audio edition of this book and I will be sure to get a print copy for personal use. This is an exceptional book about human behavior. It is the culmination of a life's work from a uniquely intelligent and caring person. It has my highest recommendation.
Edit | More show less

This text is a collection of articles published by the author in psychoanalytic journals. Of the first half of articles I could make sense, of the second half not so much. A general idea in the articles is, to provide a genuinely female approach to psychoanalysis. For example, the author argues that "penis envy" does not play the central role in female psychology that Freud attributes to it.

My greatest objection towards the text is that the book does not contain any material from the show more personal life/experience of the author. As such, the text is often rather theoretical. Also, I sometimes had the feeling that more energy (i.e., lines of text) is spent to refute existing theories than to simply state why the authors theories seem more legitimate. show less