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Self Psychology:Overviewand App licat ions
June 12th, 2007
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THE STORY OF NARCISSUS
Once upon a time, there was a boy called Narcissus. He was the son ofa god and he was very, very handsome. Many women fell in love withhim, but he turned them away. One of the women who loved
Narcissus was a nymph called Echo. Echo could not speak properly -she could only repeat what was said to her, so she couldn't tell
Narcissus that she loved him. One day, when Narcissus was walkingin the woods with some friends, he became separated from them. Hecalled out "Is anyone here?" Echo replied "Here, Here". Echo stepped
forward with open arms, wanting to cuddle him. But Narcissusrefused to accept Echo's love. Echo was so upset that she left and hidin a cave, until nothing was left of her, except her voice.
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THE STORY OF NARCISSUS,
continued
The Maiden, a goddess, found out
about this, and she was very angry.
She made Narcissus fall in love with himself.
When Narcissus looked at his reflection in a
pond one day, he fell in love. He stayed on
that spot forever, until he died one day.
Where he died a flower grew, and that
flower is called a Narcissus.
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Kohut
Born in Vienna in 1913
Moved to US due to Nazi invasion
Shifted from neurology to psychiatry to
psychoanalysis
Kohut begain writing about empathy andself psychology in 1959
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Comparison with Freud
Similarities
Emphasis on relationship
Transference reaction critical
Presenting problem - likely subset of largerpersonality deficit
Importance of early developmental factors
Differences
Kohut emphasized empathy
Intrapsychic versus interpersonal history
Attitude toward psychosexual factors and stages
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Kohuts Infant Research
Early developmental research on mother child
interactions
Studied children of psychologists
Determined insecure identity, lack of self-identityin many cases and often a vague sense of not
being real (inability to experience emotion)
Also an intense need to attach themselves topowerful figures in order to feel that their lives
had meaning
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Critical Assumptions
Clinical phenomenon understood to represent the
effects of experiences which foster or interfere with
the achievement and maintenance of self-cohesion
Self is organizing principle of personality/behavior
Self disorders are common and have a considerable
range of severity
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Critical Needs to Self-
Development and Self-Disorders
3 strong needs that must be fulfilled if
the self is to develop fully
Mirroring
Be like others (twinship)
To idealizeThemes common in transference
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In Following Clip
Identify possible Self Psych themes or
deficient needs that may be relevant for
our fan, Joe Buck
Pay attention to song as it emerges and
how it relates to Narcissism (and story of
narcissus)
How might you conceptualize Joe Bucks
self development?
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Optimal Frustration
There is an optimal level of frustration with
having your needs provided and providing
them for yourself (a gap)
This gap is sufficiently small that it encourages
one to take over such for oneself the provision
of self needs rather than discouraging one.
Example - holding out hand, standing away
from child as learning to walk
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Critical Definitions
Mirroring, Twinship, Idealization
Optimal Frustration
Transmuting Internalization Transference
Empathy
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Transmuting Internalizations
Children seize the opportunity of the failed
mirror to take the mirroring function into themesand as a result, change something basic in theirself.
Gradually, over time, these TIs add up to one
important aspect of a strong and cohesive self.
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Empathy
The capacity to think and feel oneself into
the inner life of another person.
Lifelong ability to experience what another
person experiences
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Therapist role
Therapists attitude a critical factor toward thehealing process
Development and successful communication of
empathy is critical2 Critical questions:
1. What was it that my client was deprived of as aclient and
2. What could the therapist do about it?To consider: Therapist role to provide or
reflect the mirror?
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Healthy Self Development
Child begins to learn about empathy for others. In learningto care for others, the self interests come to be balancedagainst the concern for the welfare of others.
Healthy Narcissism: Appearance of a strong, vital, cohesive self
striving with ambition and ideals toward the full realization of aperson's skills and talents.
As child matures realize more people out thereAvailable psychic energy gets direct at those
people and less on self : More completely thisshift is made the healthier the person
In fully mature adult a small amount of energy stillconcerned with self-issues
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Some limitations of Self
PsychologyFew techniques
May minimize importance of presenting concernsor symptoms of distress
Little attention to cultural factors - or how healthyself-development (and associated needs) maydiffer among different cultures and communities
Non directive approach may not be appealing to
some - or appropriate for others (moredisturbed?)
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Resources
Institute for advancement of self-psychology:http://www.selfpsychology.org/iasp.htm
www.therapistfinder.net/glossary/Self-Psychology.htmlTherapist's Emotional Survival: Dealing with the Pain of Exploring Trauma
By Stuart PerlmanSelf Psychology and Diagnostic Assessment: Identifying Selfobject
Functions through Psychological TestingBy Marshall L. Silverstein
Heinz Kohut: The Making of a PsychoanalystBy Charles B. Strozier
http://www.selfpsychology.org/iasp.htmhttp://www.therapistfinder.net/glossary/Self-Psychology.htmlhttp://www.therapistfinder.net/glossary/Self-Psychology.htmlhttp://www.therapistfinder.net/glossary/Self-Psychology.htmlhttp://www.therapistfinder.net/glossary/Self-Psychology.htmlhttp://www.selfpsychology.org/iasp.htmTop Related