Heinz Kohut and the Psychology of the Self Heinz Kohut and the Psychology of the Self examines the pioneering work of the analyst and teacher who became a founder of Self Psychology. A former President of the American Psychoanalytic Association and Vice-President of the International Psychoanalytic Association, Kohut became increasingly alienated from both as he developed his ideas about narcissism and the self. An introductory chapter by Kohut's friend and colleague, Ernest Wolf, provides a psychological portrait of the man and his struggle with the psycho­ analytic establishment. Allen M. Siegel describes Kohut's theoretical development, exploring concepts such as empathy, the developmental line of narcissism, unconscious narcissistic configurations, selfobjects and selfobject transference. Kohut's understanding of the curative elements of therapy was based on the belief that narcissistic vulnerabilities play a significant part in the suffering that brings clients for treatment. The author describes the significance of Kohut's clinical innovations inspired by his rejection of the psychology of drives in favour of his own vision of the vulnerable self, trying to stay safe. Kohut's often difficult work was written predominantly for a psychoanalytic audience. Using examples taken from clinical practice, Allen M. Siegel shows how Kohut's theories can 'be used effectively in other forms of treatment. Allen M. Siegel studied Self Psychology for over twenty years and is now a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst in private practice, Chicago. The Makers of Modern Psychotherapy Series editor: Laurence Spurling This series of critical texts looks at the work and thought of key contributors to the development ofpsychodynamic psychotherapy. Each book shows how the theories examined affect clinical practice, and includes biographical material as well as a comprehensive bibliography of the contributor's work. The field of psychodynamic psychotherapy is today more fertile but also more diverse than ever before. Competing schools have been set up, rival theories and clinical ideas circulate. These different and sometimes competing strains are held together by a canon of fundamental concepts, guiding assumptions and principles of practice. This canon has a history, and the way we now understand and use the ideas that frame our thinking and practice is palpably marked by how they came down to us, by the temperament and experiences of their authors, the particular puzzles they wanted to solve and the contexts in which they worked. These are the makers of modem psychotherapy. Yet despite their influence, the work and life of some of these eminent figures are not well known. Others are more familiar, but their particular contribution is open to reassessment. In studying these figures and their work, this series will articulate those ideas and ways of thinking that practitioners and thinkers within the psychodynamic tradition continue to find persuasive. Laurence Spurling Heinz Kohut and the Psychology of the Self Allen M. Siegel I~ ~~o~~~~n~~~up LONDON AND NEW YORK First published 1996 by Routledge Published 2016 by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN 711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017, USA Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business Copyright © 1996 Allen M. Siegel Typeset in Times by LaserScript, Mitcham, Surrey All rights reserved. No part ofthis book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Siegel, Allen M. , 1940- Heinz Kohut and the psychology of the self/Allen M. Siegel. p. em. -(Makers of modem psychotherapy) Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Kohut, Heinz. 2. Self psychology. 3. Psychoanalysis. I. Title. II. Series. BF109.K617S54 1996 150.19'5'092- dc20 96-7012 CIP ISBN 978-0-415-08637-0 (hbk) ISBN 978-0-415-08638-7 (pbk) To Renee This page intentionally left blank Contents List of figures Vlll Acknowledgments IX Introduction 1 1 The Viennese Chicagoan 7 Ernest S. Wolf 2 The classical foundation of Kohut's thought 19 3 Early papers: emerging strands of a new cloth 44 4 Toward a psychology of the self 55 5 Analysis of the Self: Part I, The idealized parental imago 70 6 Analysis of the Self: Part II, The grandiose self 86 7 The Restoration of the Self: Part I, Innovations in theory 104 8 The Restoration of the Self: Part II, Clinical considerations 118 9 The two analyses of Mr. Z 141 10 How Does Analysis Cure?: Part I, Theoretical reftections 153 11 How Does Analysis Cure?: Part II, The therapeutic process reconsidered 169 12 Last words 186 13 Critique and conclusions 193 Glossary 203 Chronology 208 Bibliography of the work of Heinz Kohut 210 General bibliography 217 Index 221 Figures 2.1 Freud's topographic model of the mind 24 2.2 Transference's intrusion of the Unconscious into the Preconscious 25 2.3 Freud's schema for neurotic and psychotic symptom formation 33 2.4 Evolution and regression of object libido 39 2.5 Kohut's depiction of Freud's tripartite model 40 4.1 The 'area of progressive neutralization' 57 4.2 Kohut's addition to Freud's developmental line 59 4.3 Developmental line of narcissism 68 4.4 Trauma in the development of the grandiose self 69 4.5 Trauma in the development of the idealized parental Imago 69 5.1 Consequences of trauma in the developmental sequence 73 6.1 Types of transference 88 6.2 The vertical split 93 6.3 Vertical split containing disavowed grandiosity 93 6.4 Healed vertical split integrating the disavowed grandiosity 95 8.1 Kohut's characterization of Mr. X's personality and the two phases of his analysis 124 9.1 Kohut's diagram of the two analyses of Mr. Z 151 Acknowledgments Heinz Kohut asserts that the oxygen of psychological life is to be found in an affirming, supportive and validating milieu and that the need for such an atmosphere exists from birth to death. I have the great fortune to live and work among people who, in their essence, provide such an atmosphere. In these acknowledgments, I wish to thank them with warmest feelings and deepest gratitude for their belief, support, encouragement and friendship. I wish first to thank Ernest Wolf. It was he who suggested that I should write this book. He came to know my work through a clinical workshop in which we both participated. In the summer of 1991 he invited me to join him and Joseph Lichtenberg in a week-long clinical symposium held at Cape Cod, Massachusetts. That was the beginning of a series of delightful summers on the Cape, filled with intellectual excitement and the treasure of family fun as we came to know each other. Unafraid to speak his mind or stay the course of his convictions, Ernie has been a model of integrity and courage for me. I wish to thank him and his wife Ina for their belief in my abilities and for their unfailing friendship. Many people have contributed to the story of this book, each in their own way, and I wish to name them all. I wish to thank Dixie Boros, Robert Buchanan, Mark Berger, Henry Evans, Barbara Fajardo, Robert Fajardo, Paula Fuqua, Jill Gardner, Arnold Goldberg, Elin Greenberg, Elaine Hacker, David Hacker, Charles Kligerman, Nicholas Lenn, Rita Lenn, Joe Lichtenberg, Rebecca London, Sheldon Meyers, Thomas Pappadis, Brenda Solomon, Phil Suth, Ruth Suth, David Terman, Marian Tolpin, Paul Tolpin, Gloria Turoff, Jim Wilson, Martha Wood, David Zbaraz and Deety Zbaraz. I extend my deepest appreciation and gratitude to David Solomon. His wisdom, knowledge and courage are an integral part of the evolution of this book. In addition, I am grateful x Acknowledgments to my stalwart friends Jonathan Borns, Martin Greenberg and Andy Johnson for their unending support. I would like to thank Leonard Rosenbaum for his skill and professionalism in creating the index for this book. An author writes to an audience, but since the process of writing is solitary, one writes without the benefit of response. I am deeply indebted to my readers, busy people all, who responded unhesitatingly and with unbelievable speed to my request for their comments. I wish to thank Jonathan Borns, Arnold Goldberg, Marian Tolpin, Jim Wilson, Ernest Wolf and Ina Wolf. I thank also Laurence Spurling for this opportunity to study Kohut's work in depth, for his patience while I did the work and for his suggestions which made this a much better book. I should like to thank the Kohut Archive, located at the Chicago Institute for Psychoanalysis, for access to Kohut's course material. I acknowledge the permission I received from International Universities Press and the University of Chicago Press to quote directly from Kohut's published writings. Every effort has been made to obtain permission to reproduce the cover picture. The publishers would be pleased to hear from anyone who could help trace the copyright holder. Although the work of a psychoanalyst is rich and fulfilling, it is private and cannot be shared with one's family. I have often felt a sadness that my work was unknown to my daughter. This book has provided a wonderful opportunity to address that situation, for she has been my editor. It is with delight that I express my appreciation to Deborah Siegel for her thoughtful contribution to this book.