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Medusa Appears: A Case Study ofa Narcissistic Disturbance
Author(s) -
Bjorklund Pamela
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
perspectives in psychiatric care
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.538
H-Index - 35
eISSN - 1744-6163
pISSN - 0031-5990
DOI - 10.1111/j.1744-6163.2000.tb00698.x
Subject(s) - empathy , psychoanalytic theory , alliance , psychology , psychotherapist , psychological intervention , attachment theory , therapeutic relationship , psychoanalysis , developmental psychology , social psychology , psychiatry , political science , law
topic . A detailed case study of the brief psychotherapy of a college student with a narcissistic disturbance, discussed through the lens of relational psychoanalytic theory and including a description of important interventions. purpose . To promote greater understanding of psychoanalytic theory and therapy with a particular young adult population, and to underscore the importance of empathy and the therapeutic relationship to successful psychotherapeutic outcome.source The author's own clinical practice. conclusions . The therapeutic alliance is fundamental to the psychotherapeutic change process. Empathy is not just a means to a better healing relationship; it is in itself healing. Accurate empathy within the therapeutic relationship is essential to developmental unfolding, especially where sustained, age‐ appropriate emotional responses to developmental needs were lacking and an integrated sense of self failed to develop.