New Books in Psychology Daniel José Gaztambide, "Decolonizing Psychoanalytic Technique: Putting Freud on Fanon's Couch" (Palgrave Macmillan, 2024)
Aug 1, 2025
Daniel José Gaztambide, a prominent figure in decolonial psychology at Queens College, shares groundbreaking insights on integrating socio-political contexts into psychotherapy. He discusses how traditional psychoanalytic practices, rooted in Freud and Lacan, can be reimagined through the lens of Frantz Fanon, especially for marginalized communities. The conversation highlights the critical relationship between mental health and socio-economic factors, navigating issues of race, gender, and community, ultimately advocating for a holistic, decolonized approach to therapy.
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Gap Between Theory and Practice
- There is a gap between psychoanalytic theory and clinical practice in addressing social oppression.
- Clinicians often learn foundational theory and diversity separately, lacking an integrated approach.
Fanon’s Synthesis of Freud
- Frantz Fanon synthesizes Freud's segregated theories of individual psychology and collective dynamics into one unified approach.
- He insists therapy must integrate both individual subjectivity and societal structural forces for true liberation.
Make Room for Social Realities
- Therapists should create spaces where social, political, and identity realities emerge naturally in sessions.
- Open the therapeutic conversation to include both intimate relationship issues and broader systemic oppression.
