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The psychosomatic symptom and the self: a sirens' song
Author(s) -
Kradin Richard L.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
journal of analytical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.285
H-Index - 23
eISSN - 1468-5922
pISSN - 0021-8774
DOI - 10.1111/j.1465-5922.1997.00405.x
Subject(s) - psychology , countertransference , psychotherapist , psychoanalysis , focus (optics) , transference , the symbolic , psychoanalytic theory , physics , optics
This paper examines the symbolic nature of the psychosomatic symptom. It is suggested that the psychosomatic symptom is an informationally rich symbolic derivative of the Self that serves to focus attention on developmental disturbances in the archetypal processes of constructing body image and interpreting dysphoric somatic sensations. Clinical examples are offered to illustrate the changing nature of the psychomatic symptom in society. The therapeutic importance of monitoring affectual transactions in the transference‐countertransference field is stressed.