Treating the Self: Elements of Clinical Self Psychology - Hardcover

Wolf, Ernest S.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0898627176 ISBN 13: 9780898627176

Publisher: The Guilford Press, 1988

Synopsis

This book is about how an analyst analyzes. Rooted in the theory of psychoanalytic self-psychology as put forth by Heinz Kohut and his colleagues, Treating the Self focuses specifically on the application of the self-psychological concept of the psyche to the actual conduct of psychoanalytic treatment. The result is not a ``how to'' approach, but rather a volume that suggests a theory of treatment and offers its readers guidelines for new ways of thinking about therapy. Based on the author's own familiarity of the therapeutic process, it concentrates on the detailed experiences of both the analyst and analysand, and demonstrates ways of creating and attitude and ambience that facilitates and guides successful treatment. Written by Ernest Wolf, a close collaborator of Heinz Kohut, this volume is a personal account of the process of self-psychology presented by one of the foremost experts in the field.
Divided into two parts, the volume's first section provides an general orientation to the field. It includes a review of self-psychology's historical development, and elaboration of basic concepts, and an introduction to the Kohutian concepts of selfobject transference and narcissistic rage. A unique feature of this section is a chapter that provides, for the first time in a text, a comprehensive classification of disorders of the self with illustrative clinical vignettes. Part II, which focuses on treatment, explicates the principles and process of treatment, and offers in-depth discussion of such topics as analytic reality, countertransference, and the problems and process of termination.
An outstanding contribution to the development and understanding of the process of self-psychology, Treating the Self is an invaluable resource for psychoanalysts, psychiatrists, psychotherapists, psychologists, social workers, and pastoral counselors. It is also an excellent text for advanced graduate courses in these fields.

About this title

About the Author:

Ernest S. Wolf, M.D.
A friend and close collaborator of Heinz Kohut, Dr. Wolf is Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Northwestern University Medical School and serves as faculty and training analyst at the Chicago Institute for Psychoanalysis. He also sits on the Scientific Advisory Boards of the Center for Psychosocial Studies in Chicago, Illinois and the Clinical-Developmental Institute in Belmont, Massachusetts. One of the foremost authorities on self psychology, he has authored numerous articles and book chapters on the topic.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.:

I. The Psychology of the Self
1. Introduction: Historical Development
2. General Orientation: The Inner Life of Man
3. Basic Concepts of Self Psychology
4. Selfs and Selfobjects
5. Selfobject Relations Disorders: Disorders of the Self
6. Narcissistic Rage
II. Treatment
7. The Setting
8. Principles
9. The Therapeutic Process
10. Selfobject Transferences
11. Countertransference Issues
12. Analytic Reality
13. Termination
Appendices: I. Medications. II. Third-Party Relations.
Glossary of Self Psychology Terms

About this edition

• Publisher: The Guilford Press
• Publication date: 1988
• ISBN 10: 0898627176
• ISBN 13: 9780898627176
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 194