This book shows us how rather than abandoning psychology once he liberated phenomenology from the psychologism of the philosophy of arithmetic, Edmund Husserl remained concerned with the ways in which phenomenology held important implications for a radical reform of psychology throughout his intellectual career. The author fleshes out what such a radical reform actually entails, and proposes that it can only be accomplished by following the trail of the transcendental reduction described in Husserl's later works. In order to appreciate the need for the transcendental even for psychology, the book tracks Husserl's thinking on the nature of this relationship between phenomenology as a philosophy and psychology as a positive science as it evolved over time. The text covers Husserl's definition of phenomenology as "descriptive psychology" in the Logical Investigations, rejecting the hybrid form of "phenomenological psychology" described in the lectures by that name, and ends with his proposal for a "fundamental refashioning" of psychology by situating it within the transcendental framework of The Crisis of European Sciences and Transcendental Phenomenology. The Author argues for a re-grounding of psychology by virtue of a "return to positivity" after having performed the reduction to transcendental intersubjectivity. What results is a phenomenological approach to a transcendentally-grounded psychology which, while having returned to the life-world, no longer remains transcendentally naive. A phenomenologically-grounded psychology thus empowers researchers, clinicians, and clients alike to engage in social actions that move the world closer to achieving social justice for all. This text appeals to students and researchers working in phenomenology and psychology.

This book shows us how rather than abandoning psychology once he liberated phenomenology from the psychologism of the philosophy of arithmetic, Edmund Husserl remained concerned with the ways in which phenomenology held important implications for a radical reform of psychology throughout his intellectual career. The author fleshes out what such a radical reform actually entails, and proposes that it can only be accomplished by following the trail of the transcendental reduction described in Husserl's later works. In order to appreciate the need for the transcendental even for psychology, the book tracks Husserl's thinking on the nature of this relationship between phenomenology as a philosophy and psychology as a positive science as it evolved over time. The text covers Husserl's definition of phenomenology as "descriptive psychology" in the Logical Investigations, rejecting the hybrid form of "phenomenological psychology" described in the lectures by that name, and ends with his proposal for a "fundamental refashioning" of psychology by situating it within the transcendental framework of The Crisis of European Sciences and Transcendental Phenomenology. The Author argues for a re-grounding of psychology by virtue of a "return to positivity" after having performed the reduction to transcendental intersubjectivity. What results is a phenomenological approach to a transcendentally-grounded psychology which, while having returned to the life-world, no longer remains transcendentally naive. A phenomenologically-grounded psychology thus empowers researchers, clinicians, and clients alike to engage in social actions that move the world closer to achieving social justice for all. This text appeals to students and researchers working in phenomenology and psychology.

When Claire Bien first began hearing voices, they were infrequent, benign and seemingly just curious about her life and the world around her. But the more attention Claire paid, the more frequently they began to speak, and the darker their intentions became... Despite escalating paranoia, an initial diagnosis of Schizophreniform Disorder and taking medication with debilitating side effects, Claire learned to face her demons and manage her condition without the need for long-term medication. In this gripping memoir, Claire recounts with eloquence her most troubled times. She explains how she managed to regain control over her mind and her life even while intermittently hearing voices, through self-guided and professional therapy and with the support of family and friends. Challenging a purely medical understanding of hearing voices, Claire advocates for an end to the stigma of those who experience auditory verbal hallucinations, and a change of thinking from the professionals who treat the condition.

View the Table of Contents
Read the Introduction

"Davidson's book leaves one with an image of the inside of schizophrenia as essentially mysterious but the possibilities of recovery as hopeful if uncertain."--"Journal of Mental Health"

"I encourage you, whether you are a policy maker, practitioner, or researcher, to read "Living Outside Mental illness"

"The book provides a window into the experiences of a person with schizophrenia...a rich narrative."
--"The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease"

aThis volume makes the case for the utility of qualitative methods in improving our understanding of the reasons for the success or failure of mental health services.a--"Family Therapy"

"I see this book as an important accomplishment. It contains numerous helpful suggestions about how to go about eliciting narratives as a means of encouraging patients along their recovery journey."--"Psychiatric Services"

"Davidson takes an interesting approach to the disorder and makes a compelling case for the use of person centered narratives to find out what is going on with recovery in persons with schizophrenia. Recommended."
--"Choice"

"Davidson demonstrates the importance of listening ot what people diagnosed with schizophrenia have to say about their struggle, and shows the effect this approach can have on clinical practice and social policy."
--"Yale Weekly"""Living Outside Mental Illness" is more than a recapitulation of previously published research."
--"Metapsychology Online Book Reviews"

Schizophrenia is widely considered the most severe and disabling of the mental illnesses. Yet recent research has demonstrated that many people afflicted with the disorderare able to recover to a significant degree.

Living Outside Mental Illness demonstrates the importance of listening to what people diagnosed with schizophrenia themselves have to say about their struggle, and shows the dramatic effect this approach can have on clinical practice and social policy. It presents an in-depth investigation, based on a phenomenological perspective, of experiences of illness and recovery as illuminated by compelling first-person descriptions.

This volume forcefully makes the case for the utility of qualitative methods in improving our understanding of the reasons for the success or failure of mental health services. The research has important clinical and policy implications, and will be of key interest to those in psychology and the helping professions as well as to people in recovery and their families.

View the Table of Contents
Read the Introduction

"Davidson's book leaves one with an image of the inside of schizophrenia as essentially mysterious but the possibilities of recovery as hopeful if uncertain."--"Journal of Mental Health"

"I encourage you, whether you are a policy maker, practitioner, or researcher, to read "Living Outside Mental illness"

"The book provides a window into the experiences of a person with schizophrenia...a rich narrative."
--"The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease"

aThis volume makes the case for the utility of qualitative methods in improving our understanding of the reasons for the success or failure of mental health services.a--"Family Therapy"

"I see this book as an important accomplishment. It contains numerous helpful suggestions about how to go about eliciting narratives as a means of encouraging patients along their recovery journey."--"Psychiatric Services"

"Davidson takes an interesting approach to the disorder and makes a compelling case for the use of person centered narratives to find out what is going on with recovery in persons with schizophrenia. Recommended."
--"Choice"

"Davidson demonstrates the importance of listening ot what people diagnosed with schizophrenia have to say about their struggle, and shows the effect this approach can have on clinical practice and social policy."
--"Yale Weekly"""Living Outside Mental Illness" is more than a recapitulation of previously published research."
--"Metapsychology Online Book Reviews"

Schizophrenia is widely considered the most severe and disabling of the mental illnesses. Yet recent research has demonstrated that many people afflicted with the disorderare able to recover to a significant degree.

Living Outside Mental Illness demonstrates the importance of listening to what people diagnosed with schizophrenia themselves have to say about their struggle, and shows the dramatic effect this approach can have on clinical practice and social policy. It presents an in-depth investigation, based on a phenomenological perspective, of experiences of illness and recovery as illuminated by compelling first-person descriptions.

This volume forcefully makes the case for the utility of qualitative methods in improving our understanding of the reasons for the success or failure of mental health services. The research has important clinical and policy implications, and will be of key interest to those in psychology and the helping professions as well as to people in recovery and their families.