Reflections on Self Psychology: (Psychology Revivals)

Originally published in 1983, Reflections on Self Psychology records the development of a powerful initiative to alter psychoanalytic theory and practice, and an evaluative questioning of this initiative. It presents a dialogue that developed at the Boston Symposium of 1980 between vigorous proponents of self psychology, equally energetic critics, and many participants between these polar positions. This book attempts to capture within its pages not only the content of what was presented, explored, and evaluated in Boston, but also a sense of the people, about 1,000 strong, who exchanged their ideas on and off the podium – and the remarkable spirit of open inquiry that invigorated these proceedings. The book, as was the meeting, is organized to explore four subjects: the development of the self: infant research; the implications of self psychology for psychoanalytic practice; self psychology and psychotherapy; and the implications of self psychology for psychoanalytic theory. The final section of the book is devoted to an essay by Heinz Kohut that provides an integrated response to the issues and criticisms raised in the course of the symposium. This essay while based on extemporaneous responses by Kohut during different phases of the meeting, is, in its written version, a cohesive, carefully revised, and edited statement prepared in the mellowing period following the meeting and before Kohut’s untimely death.

Table of Contents:
Joseph D. Lichtenberg Introduction. Samuel Kaplan and Joseph D. Lichtenberg Acknowledgements Part 1. Introductory Section 1 Ralph J. Kahana Reflections on Narcissism in Boston 2 John Demos Introduction of Dr Heinz Kohut 3 Heinz Kohut Greetings 4 Arnold M. Cooper Psychoanalytic Inquiry and New Knowledge Part 2. The Development of the Self: Infant Research 5 Donald Silver Prologue 6 Gerald Stechler Infancy Research: A Contribution to Self Psychology 7 Daniel N. Stern The Early Development of Schemas of Self, Other, and ‘Self with Other’ 8 Louis S. Sander To Begin with – Reflections on Ontogeny 9 Virginia Demos Discussion of Papers by Drs Sander and Stern 10 Marian Tolpin Discussion of Papers by Drs Stern and Sander Part 3. Self Psychology: Implications for Psychoanalytic Practice 11 David A. Berkowitz Self Psychology: Clinical Considerations 12 Anna Ornstein An Idealizing Transference of the Oedipal Phase 13 Helen Meyers The Oedipal Complex and Self Psychology: Discussion of Paper by Dr Ornstein 14 Joseph D. Lichtenberg An Application of the Self Psychological Viewpoint to Psychoanalytic Technique 15 N. Treurniet Discussion of a Paper by Dr Lichtenberg 16 Ernest S. Wolf Discussion of Papers by Drs Lichtenberg and Ornstein Part 4. Self Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theoretical and Clinical Considerations 17 Samuel Kaplan Self Psychology: Relevance to Psychotherapy 18 Michael Franz Basch The Significance of Self Psychology for a Theory of Psychotherapy 19 Robert Michels Discussion of a Paper by Dr Basch 20 Nathaniel J. London Confrontation and Selfobject Transference: A Case Study 21 Sheldon Bach Discussion of a Paper by Dr London 22 Sydney Smith Closing Comment Part 5. Self Psychology: Implications for Psychoanalytic Theory 23 Melvin Bornstein Prologue 24 Robert D. Stolorow Self Psychology – A Structural Psychology 25 Arnold Goldberg Self Psychology and Alternative Perspectives on Internalization 26 Robert S. Wallerstein Self Psychology and ‘Classical’ Psychoanalytic Psychology – The Nature of Their Relationship: A Review and Overview 27 Paul H. Ornstein Discussion of Papers by Drs Goldberg, Stolorow, and Wallerstein Part 6. Theory 28 Heinz Kohut Selected Problems of Self Psychological Theory. Name Index. Subject Index

About the Author :
Joseph Lichtenberg, Samuel Kaplan