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Volume 17 of Progress in Self Psychology, The Narcissistic Patient Revisited, begins with the next installment of Strozier's "From the Kohut Archives": first publication of a fragment by Kohut on social class and self-formation and of four letters from his final decade.  Taken together, Hazel Ipp's richly textured "Case of Gayle" and the commentaries that it elicits amount to a searching reexamination of narcissistic pathology and the therapeutic process.  This illuminating reprise on the clinical phenomenology Kohut associated with "narcissistic personality disorder" accounts for the volume title.  The ability of modern self psychology to integrate central concepts from other theories gains expression in Teicholz's proposal for a two-tiered theory of intersubjectivity, in Brownlow's examination of the fear of intimacy, and in Garfield's model for the treatment of psychosis.  The social relevance of self psychology comes to the fore in an examination of the experience of adopted children and an inquiry into the roots of mystical experience, both of which concern the ubiquity of the human longing for an idealized parent imago.  Among contributions that bring self-psychological ideas to bear on the arts, Frank Lachmann's provocative "Words and Music," which links the history of music to the history of psychoanalytic thought in the quest for universal substrata of psychological experience, deserves special mention.  Annette Lachmann's consideration of empathic failure among the characters in Shakespeare's Othello and Silverstein's reflections on Schubert's self-states and selfobject needs in relation to the specific poems set to music in his Lieder round out a collection as richly broad based as the field of self psychology itself.
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Customer Reviews (3)

The Perfect Self-destruction
This book straddles the divide between textbook and a self-help tome. It is full with analyses of cases - from the literary to the real and will, probably, be of value mostly to therapists. Its main subject is the narcissist's self-destruction in its attempt at perfection. There are a few types of narcissistic self-destructive and self defeating behaviours. The Self-Punishing, Guilt-Purging Behaviours are intended to inflict punishment and to provide the punished party with a feeling of instant relief. This is very reminiscent of a compulsive-ritualistic behavior. The person harbors guilt. It could be an "ancient" guilt, a "sexual" guilt (Freud), or a "social" guilt. He internalized and introjected voices of meaningful others that consistently and convincingly and from positions of authority informed him that he is no good, guilty, deserving of punishment or retaliation, corrupt. His life is thus transformed into an on-going trial. The constancy of this trial, the never adjourning tribunal IS the punishment. It is Kafka's "trial": meaningless, undecipherable, never-ending, leading to no verdict, subject to mysterious and fluid laws and presided by capricious judges. Then there are the Extracting Behaviours. People with Personality Disorders (PDs) are very afraid of real, mature, intimacy. Intimacy is formed not only within a couple, but also in a workplace, in a neighbourhood, with friends, while collaborating on a project. Intimacy is another word for emotional involvement, which is the result of interactions in constant and predictable (safe) proximity. PDs interpret intimacy (not DEPENDENCE, but intimacy) as strangulation, the snuffing of freedom, death in installments. They are terrorized by it. The self-destructive and self-defeating acts are intended to dismantle the very foundation of a successful relationship, a career, a project, or a friendship. NPDs (narcissists), for instance, feel elated and relieved after they unshackle these "chains". They feel they broke a siege, that they are liberated, free at last. Last, but not rare, there are the Default Behaviours. We are all afraid of new situations, new possibilities, new challenges, new circumstances and new demands. Being healthy, being successful, getting married, becoming a mother, or someone's boss - are often abrupt breaks with the past. Some self-defeating behaviors are intended to preserve the past, to restore it, to protect it from the winds of change, to inertially avoid opportunities. Sam Vaknin, author of "Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited".

Makes Pathological Narcicissm Understandable
I have read this book, and know this Psychoanalyst. This book embodys muchof his day-to day thinking and actual technique, and contains both somevery interesting clinical vignettes, and also an underlying message: thatNarcissistic behavior is ultimately self-defeating for the analysand's lifeproject -- a very difficult concept to get through topatients/psychotherapy clients, particularly in a culture tht continues toworhship and encourage narcissistic pursuits, at all costs, and despite allthe warnings of therapists, history, and the great religions.Iheartilyrecommend this text as an adjunct to the more turgidly written, abstracttomes in the field, such asKernberg's "Borderline Conditions andPathological Narcissism", for the former's more experiental approachto understanding and managing esentially the same spectrum of personalityconditions. Reading Rothstein, one gets it, recognizes the subjects asdysfunctional, butrecognizable, and somewhat familiar

beings at that. AKerbergian read of the same clincial personalities regards them as "narcisstic aliens" whose psychodynamic structure, and whoseformative psychodynamics are unlike anyone "we" know...Kernberg's hypotheses areacademic and cerebral achievmnts, to beapplauded, for sure, but Rothstein's treatise on the same patients is moreunderstandable, accessable, and hopefully theraputically useful. A verygood book.

textbook polysyllabic language, interesting case studies
This book was suggested to me as a more reader-friendly look at narcissistic personality disorder. Unfortunately the author's high-flown textbook language often mired me in words more than ideas. Nonetheless,there is some interesting analysis given to such works as Tolstoy's AnnaKarenina...among many others. ... Read more

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The therepeutic task, with these patients, necessitates a special form of attunement and a particular treatment stance that take into account the often hidden sensitivities and painful feelings that lie beneath the surface for both child and parent. An understanding of these narcissistic vulnerabilities better informs the treatment and helps to modulate the countertransference feelings that alomst always arise. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Gave us, as grandparents of a diagnosed NPD grandaughter, a better undertanding.
Bought the book as a used and as such, prior owners shared side comments of releveant paragraphs...thanks to them for their review of relevant issues. As grandparents of a diagnosed NPD grandaughter, we have a better perception and understanding of the symptom. By the grace of our God and through her therapists the prognosis for younger persons with NPD is hopeful to the extent that the disturbances relect a simple lack of life experiences.
The cause of NPD is complex. In our early generation, we did not have the mass media's preoccupation with the "life and styles of the rich and famous", but had those of rather ordinary or average people; again, the weakening of churches that tradionally helped children to see themselves as members of a community rather than as isolated individuals is disturbing.

This book is for professionals only
I was highly disappointed as this book was really written for professionals only (psychiatrists - therapists).I am an educated person, and I still found this not user friendly.I plan to give it to the child psychologist I am working with and hope to find something else more useful. ... Read more

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This is a text on the practical problems a therapist encounters when conducting treatment of patients with personality disorders. The author presents a variety of useful forms of intervention, showing how the therapist's capacity to comprehend and be empathetic with these difficult borderline, narcissistic, and schizoid personality disorders is limited by his or her ability to understand the meaning of the patient's behaviour. The text shows the clinician how to translate the language of the personality disorder, turning theory into clinical practice. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An excellent introduction to object relations theory
This book was my introduction to object relations theory and inspired an epiphany in understanding personality disorders. I subsequently tried to read other books on object relations and failed.Mansfield makes heavytheoritical material understandable for therapists who don't have strongbackgrounds in dynamic or analytical orientations. ... Read more

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With 5 million Americans suffering from Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) and another 10 million with the less severe syndrome Destructive Narcissistic Pattern, Loving the Self-Absorbed is a timely book. Author Nina Brown gives readers specific steps for limiting the effect of a partner's narcissistic behavior and getting what they need out of the relationship. She explains the five types of "destructive narcissism" and how to recognize their effects on a relationship. Realistic strategies show how to set mutually agreeable behaviors. Because narcissists lack natural empathy, Brown teaches readers how to change their own "fantasy" expectations, create boundaries, learn new "attending behaviors," listen and respond in a self-caring way, and learn when to avoid and ignore especially bad behavior. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

Just okay.
It's just okay.Has sort of a victim point of view.Not what I was hoping for, but it may give some comfort to some people.

Sanity Saving Book
*****
This book helped to save my sanity. I am in a relationship with a narcissist, and do not wish to leave. This book was written for me--filled with practical tips that provide understanding of the narcissist from a non-judgmental point-of-view as well as many concrete ideas for what can be done for myself to take care of myself while I am in this relationship. This book differs from many others on this topic in that it does not demonize the narcissist (while at the same time, not softening the effects of this behavior on others) and it assumes that the reader wants the relationship to continue; in other words, it isn't about leaving (there are other books you can read if this is something you're interested in--this is not one of them).

The book was incredibly helpful for me in developing empathy for and in caring for a remarkably selfish human being. I continue to refer to it on a regular basis. It is of invaluable assistance for me in learning to love without judgment. I personally believe that my narcissistic family member is my greatest teacher; this book helps me to stay sane while learning from him.

Highly recommended.
*****

The title is misleading
This book focuses more on helping someone identify whether or not they are in a relationship with a narcissistic partner rather than creating a satisfying relationship. It is beneficial for someone who is starting to explore this dynamic, to understand what the patterns are both in their partner and in themselves.However, the "how to" part is an afterthought and the message is that the creation of a satisfying relationship is beyond the scope of the book.

Saved my life
This book saved my sanity and my life. After realizing the kind of relationship I was involved in, this book helped me make smart decisions and see what was really there.

So-so
This book is decent for diagnosing narcissitic traits, but it doesn't really give much advise on dealing with it. ... Read more

Product Description
If you haven't been someone's Target of Blame, you will be soon. According to author Bill Eddy, blaming others is increasing in societies around the globe and there's a pattern in this blaming behavior, driven by people with certain personalities - perhaps 15% of our society. Though it's a growing problem he also believes it is a predictable one, and a problem that can be managed in most cases with more understanding - and doing the opposite of what you feel like doing! Bill Eddy is an author and international speaker to Mediators, Attorneys, Judges, Therapists and others. Now he has written this helpful guide that anyone can use in everyday situations. It's All Your Fault! is based on his experience working with High Conflict People for over 20 years. His "12 Tips for Managing People Who Blame You for Everything" provide invaluable answers for keeping your everyday problems in the workplace, family or neighborhood from becoming "high conflict" disputes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

great book
Excellent book that puts the business language in on all the psychological language that is not useful when dealing with these issues in the workplace. ... Read more

Product Description
Feeling, Being and the Sense of Self weaves together three main threads. The first concerns identity and the significance of variations in the individual’s sense of self. The second is an account of the nature and functioning of the non-verbal self, rooted in the nature of affect and the functioning of an “affective appraisal mechanism”, located in the brainstem and the right hemisphere of the brain. The third is a theory of narcissism, which is understood to underlie all other psychopathologies, and to follow from the functioning of the affective appraisal mechanism.

While the book’s origins and premises are simple, its implications and applications are far-reaching. The simple origins concern observations of certain phenomena, observable primarily in borderline, hysteric, and narcissistic states, although also very much a feature of everyday life: that the more deeply an individual feels something, the more certain, real, and true it feels to him or her, but that, paradoxically, the less of a sense of “I” he or she has. The clinical implications of this are enormous, and tell us a great deal about identity and the range of psychic experience and forms of relating. ... Read more

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Levin examines what therapists can do to help the victims of narcissistic wounds to integrate, mourn, and heal them. He shows the nature of the injuries to each party and considers ways to minimize them, since treatment itself can seem an injury to both patient and therapist. ... Read more

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When children of a certain age begin to lose trust in their parents, the feeling that they can no longer rely on parental care and protection often throws them into a panic. Driven by anxiety they try to assume complete control of their own lives. They attempt to master their feelings of helplessness and to fulfill the same fantasy of omnipotence they earlier projected onto their parents. Generally, they become increasingly inaccessible, hostile and rebellious, ever-more driven, polarized, and unable to relate with trust to the ones they need and love. br>
In this book, Professor Horst Richter draws a parallel between these events from the microcosm of the child's world and developments in society at large. What emerges is a profile of a psychological rift that has permeated the psyche of Western Man, a neurotic disturbance of mythic, even tragic proportions: the Narcissistic Ideal or Illusion of Man's Omnipotence. ... Read more