Existential-Psychoanalytic Reflections on Belief and Being

Existential-Psychoanalytic Reflections on Belief and Being offers an exploration of faith not as dogma but as a psychoanalytic and existential phenomenon.Drawing from existential phenomenology, psychoanalysis, and theology, Brent Potter examines how individuals navigate despair, loss, and meaning-making today. This book engages deeply with thinkers such as Freud, Jung, Heidegger, Winnicott, Bion, Eigen, Tolkien, and Michael Heiser, weaving together clinical insights and philosophical reflection to offer an integrative approach to faith and human existence. This book argues that faith is not a belief in propositions but a form of lived trust. It is an ethical and emotional disposition that endures in the face of ambiguity. This book also explores the meaning and experience of faith in a world marked by psychological fragmentation, cultural upheaval, and existential crises.Existential-Psychoanalytic Reflections on Belief and Being will be of great interest to psychoanalysts, psychotherapists, and pastoral counsellors, as well as academics and scholars of theology, philosophy, existential psychology, and spirituality. It will also be relevant to anyone seeking to understand the complex interplay between psychological depth and spiritual meaning in the contemporary world.

Brent Potter is a psychoanalyst and author known for his work at the intersection of psychology, philosophy, and faith. With over three decades of clinical experience, his writing explores the depths of human suffering, healing, and meaning through accessible yet profound existential and psychoanalytic inquiry. Potter is recognized for pioneering theological psychoanalysis, integrating existential-phenomenological inquiry with Christian and psychoanalytic traditions.