Semantic Polarities and Psychopathologies in the Family

Valeria Ugazio presents a new model of personality and psychopathology by examining four common psychological approaches (phobic, obsessive-compulsive, eating disorders, and depression) in the context of the family. She offers an intersubjective approach to personality, based on a constructionist conception of meanings that focus on the concept of "semantic polarities" (fear/courage, good/evil, etc).

Valeria Ugazio, PhD, is Professor of Clinical Psychology and Coordinator of the Clinical Psychology Doctorate program at the University of Bergamo, Italy, and the Scientific Director of the European Institute of Systemic-relational Therapies.

Introduction 1. The Construction of Psychopathological Disorders in Intersubjective Contexts Part 1: The Model 2. Family Semantic Polarities Part II: Semantics and Psychopathologies 3. Semantics of Freedom and Phobic Disorders 4. Between Good and Evil: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders 5. The Semantic of Power: Anorexia, Bulimia, and Other Eating Problems 6. Depression: Denied Belonging Part III: Conclusion: Therapeutic Perspectives 7. Family Semantics and the Therapeutic Relationship