Individuation and Narcissism: The Psychology of Self in Jung and Kohut

Course overview

Early development is adversely affected by disruptions in the empathic attunement on the part of caregivers. A lack of adequate of parental mirroring creates a tendency toward inflationary or deflationary self-experience. This, in turn, can result in defensive patterns and resistance to depth work. Moving toward healthier patterns requires confrontation with the shadow and an encounter with the Self as the transpersonal center of meaning. In approaching this work, Jungian analyst, Mario Jacoby, incorporates insights from Heinz K's Self-Psychology along with standard Jungian practice. He offers reflections on clinical material that illustrate how patients can be supported through the analytic process by emphasizing empathic attunement in addition to working with complexes and the archetypal dimensions of the psyche.