ABSTRACT

Relational ethics is best done from a post-existential rather than existential perspective, which has perhaps more in common, albeit with important differences, than existentialism with developments in relational psychoanalysis, psychotherapy and counselling. This chapter discusses a recent trends in relational psychoanalysis and argues that a primacy should be given to practice rather than theory. Interest in relational psychological therapies has the potential to starting with practice but with the danger that people will still not be able to let go of one's theories and ego-centricisms. Perhaps if they are able to face the other as one human being meeting another, as Levinas suggests, to not do theoretical violence to this other. An implication of ethics as a basis of practice is that there is an implied transformation where the well-being of others comes before well-being of ourself.