Is there a concept more central to Kohut’s Self Psychology than the selfobject transference? Hard to imagine. The notion of the selfobject transference revolutionized our understanding of transference, turning our focus from interpretation of distortion and displacement to facilitation of renewed development. Working from an empathic perspective, the analyst attuned to selfobject experience responds to the patient’s yearning to find in the analytic relationship a pattern of relating that fills in missing pieces from development, that allows the patient to feel recognized, safe, and connected. In the context of such selfobject relatedness, repetitive dynamics from the past can be explored and worked through. In the context of such selfobject relatedness new stores of self-esteem, a capacity to self-soothe, and feelings of shared humanity can be grown.
All this will be discussed in the second event of TRISP’s Primer in Intersubjective Self Psychology, a seminar in four evenings. In the first seminar we talked about Empathy, the pathway through which the analyst comes to understand the patient’s selfobject yearnings from inside the patient’s experience. And in the third and fourth events (coming soon!) we’ll expand our understanding of Self Psychology to include Intersubjective Self Psychology, a powerful way of working with the overlapping selfobject experiences of both patient and analyst. In the upcoming event – October 9th, 6pm – we’ll discuss the fundamental concept of the selfobject transference and present case material to illustrate the ideas. We hope you’ll join us and participate in the discussion!
posted by Aviva Rohde and Jeffrey Karaban
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