What does it mean to be empathically attuned to the psychological needs of your client? How do you work through a therapeutic impasse? How do you repair and recover from an “empathic failure”? How do you make an interpretation without inducing shame in your client? What do you do when you feel chronically bored with a client? What does it mean to function as a “selfobject” and how do you recognize when you are functioning in the transference as a “mirror” versus an object of “idealization”? What is a vertical and horizontal split in Self Psychology? In this three-part seminar, the instructor will explain the tenets of Self Psychology and discuss how therapists can respond to a multitude of challenging therapeutic situations, as outlined above.
You will become familiar with the tenets of Kohut’s Self Psychology. You will also learn how Self Psychology has evolved since Kohut’s original contributions. Prior to each seminar, participants will be emailed a reading of approximately 20 pages. Participants will hear how the instructor applies self psychological and Intersubjective concepts to his work with patients in psychotherapy and psychoanalysis. They will also have time to discuss case vignettes from their own practices.
Learning objectives:
- Participants will be able to list the central tenets of Self Psychology, as originally conceived by Kohut.
- Participants will be able to describe and distinguish Kohut’s views on the “bipolar self,” the “vertical and horizontal split” and three narcissistic or “selfobject” transferences.
- Participants will be able to characterize Kohut’s view’s on: a) empathy; b) disruption and repair; c) optimal frustration and responsiveness; d) transmuting internalization; and vicarious introspection.
