General introduction to the psychotherapeutic theories of Pierre Janet

Pierre Janet's biography and the earlier and later reception of his works a re outlined. His concept of "analyse psychologique", his dispute with Sigmu nd Freud, and the difference between psychological analysis (Janet) and psy choanalysis (Freud) are described. Janet's view of psychic trauma is expand ed upon in connection with cognitive-emotional constructions ("idees fixes" ). His theories on the pathogenesis of mental disorders are based on the co ncept of psychic trauma and associated fixed ideas. Because of their genesi s, he refers to mental disorders such as neuroses as "functional" disorders , and cites how their functions build a hierarchy of overlapping levels. Ne uroses are illnesses of the whole organism suffering a standstill in its de velopment. Mental force and mental tension, described in greater detail, ar e essential for the pathogenesis of mental disorders. The conclusion addres ses the connection, in Janet's opinion, between personality and mental diso rder, According to Janet, significant characteristic of the neurotically di sturbed person is a feature that Von Gebsattel calls "Werdenshemmung" ("Inh ibition of Becoming"), a state which impairs the life development of the il l.