Reluctant Adult - Revisited

JILL HALL moved to London from South Africa in her late teens to train at the Central School, spent her 20s as an actress, her 30s as a mother and philosophy student, subsequently working over four decades as an individual and group psychotherapist in Norwich. She has lectured extensively to professional bodies and universities about the ideas in The Reluctant Adult.

“A powerful rejection of victimhood and a defence of our fullest humanity. For those who want to understand how society has adopted a diminished idea of human being this book is essential reading.” Dennis Hayes, Emeritus Professor of Education“Jill Hall’s central theory not only accounts for, and draws together, all the most important issues facing humanity at this time, but also affords a possible way forwards towards their solution.” Dr Richard House, ret. senior university lecturer in Psychology“The impact of this book has changed my way of thinking about the world.” Robin Shohet, author and psychotherapist

• Foreword 12Preface to the First Edition 15Preface to the Second Edition 18Introduction 20Chapter One - Psychology in Infancy 23Chapter Two - The Great Regression 42Chapter Three - Reclaiming the Power of the Infant 60Chapter Four - Back to the Source 73Chapter Five - Self-Concept and Meaning 91Chapter Six - The Circle of Self 115Chapter Seven - How Responsible Are We 144Chapter Eight - The Wheel of Victimhood 176Chapter Nine - The Dynamics of Power 206Chapter Ten - Freedom and Destiny 241Chapter Eleven - Towards Full Adulthood 266Appendix One - The Power of the Child 290Appendix Two - Victims Can’t Forgive 294Appendix Three - The Victimhood Archetype: health, illness, compliance, causality and human consciousness 299About the Author 323Index 324