Self Psychology: Overview and Applications

1. Self Psychology:Overview and Applications June 12th, 2007

2. THE STORY OF NARCISSUS • Once upon a time, there was a boy called Narcissus. He was the son of a god and he was very, very handsome. Many women fell in love with him, 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 walking in the woods with some friends, he became separated from them. He called out "Is anyone here?" Echo replied "Here, Here". Echo stepped forward with open arms, wanting to cuddle him. But Narcissus refused to accept Echo's love. Echo was so upset that she left and hid in a cave, until nothing was left of her, except her voice.

3. 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.

5. 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 and self psychology in 1959

6. Comparison with Freud Similarities Emphasis on relationship Transference reaction critical Presenting problem - likely subset of larger personality deficit Importance of early developmental factors Differences Kohut emphasized empathy Intrapsychic versus interpersonal history Attitude toward psychosexual factors and stages

7. Kohut’s Infant Research • Early developmental research on mother child interactions • Studied children of psychologists • Determined insecure identity, lack of self-identity in many cases and often a vague sense of not being real (inability to experience emotion) • Also an intense need to attach themselves to powerful figures in order to feel that their lives had meaning

8. 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

9. 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 idealize Themes common in transference

10. 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 Buck’s self development?

11. 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

12. Critical Definitions • Mirroring, Twinship, Idealization • Optimal Frustration • Transmuting Internalization • Transference • Empathy

13. Transmuting Internalizations • Children seize the opportunity of the “failed mirror” to take the mirroring function into themes and as a result, change something basic in their self. • Gradually, over time, these TIs add up to one important aspect of a strong and cohesive self.

14. Empathy • The capacity to think and feel oneself into the inner life of another person. • Lifelong ability to experience what another person experiences

15. Therapist role • Therapists attitude a critical factor toward the healing process • Development and successful communication of empathy is critical 2 Critical questions: • What was it that my client was deprived of as a client and • What could the therapist do about it? To consider: Therapist role to provide or reflect the mirror?

16. Healthy Self Development • Child begins to learn about empathy for others. In learning to care for others, the self interests come to be balanced against 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 a person's skills and talents. • As child matures realize more people out there Available psychic energy gets direct at those people and less on self : More completely this shift is made the healthier the person • In fully mature adult a small amount of energy still concerned with self-issues

17. Some limitations of Self Psychology Few techniques May minimize importance of presenting concerns or symptoms of distress Little attention to cultural factors - or how healthy self-development (and associated needs) may differ among different cultures and communities Non directive approach may not be appealing to some - or appropriate for others (more disturbed?)

18. Resources Institute for advancement of self-psychology: http://www.selfpsychology.org/iasp.htm www.therapistfinder.net/glossary/Self-Psychology.html Therapist's Emotional Survival: Dealing with the Pain of Exploring Trauma By Stuart Perlman Self Psychology and Diagnostic Assessment: Identifying Selfobject Functions through Psychological Testing By Marshall L. Silverstein Heinz Kohut: The Making of a Psychoanalyst By Charles B. Strozier