Psychoanalytic self psychology is the theoretical school of Heinz
Kohut, MD (1913-1981), and provides the theoretical basis for most of the
therapeutic benefits of contemporary psychoanalysis. While rejecting the
primary importance of innate Freudian sexual drives in the organization of the
human psyche, self psychology was the first major psychoanalytic movement in
the United States to recognize the critical role of empathy in
explaining human development and psychoanalytic change. Since
1959 Kohut and followers have transformed the practice of psychoanalysis and
psychotherapy by deepening the therapist's empathic attunement to the patient
and describing fundamental human needs for healthy development, particularly
idealizing, mirroring, and twinship (or "alterego") needs.
Kohut's work has developed into the study of selfobject experiences,
experiences (usually with other people) that nourish the self and which define
the experience of the self and self-esteem. Healthy narcissism is
the appearance of a strong, vital, cohesive self striving with ambition and
ideals toward the full realization of a person's skills and talents. Narcissism
is the appearance of a weak, vulnerable self attempting to maintain
self-cohesion and bolster self-esteem. Freud's method of free
association within the empathic ambience of the consulting room can
eventually develop into the analyses of selfobject transferences.
Disruptions in this ambience are analyzed as empathic failures of the
analyst and must result in a restoration of the empathic ambience in order for
the analysis to proceed. Repetitions of this disruption-restoration
process allow a person's sense of self to change and develop in
fundamental ways and define the psychoanalytic process. Intersubjective
systems theory is a major contemporary school growing from self
psychology. It is a two-person theory of psychology consistent
with modern systems theory and self psychology. Psychoanalytic
self psychology contributes to our understanding of a wide variety of topics
in psychology and the social sciences, as well as philosophy, humanities and
religion.
Below are definitions of psychoanalytic self psychology submitted by
members of the International Council for Psychoanalytic Self Psychology, by
visitors to this site, and by the Self Psychology Page editors.
