Chairman: |
Sheldon J. Meyers, MD |
Presenters: |
Barbara Fajardo, PhD
|
Discussant: |
Arnold Goldberg, MD |
Self Psychology Page | 20th Conference Program
This panel will highlight the work of a workshop to develop a casebook on the diagnosis and treatment of Narcissistic Behavior Disorders. This group has been in progress since 1995. The theoretical ideas and clinical data for the Narcissistic Behavior Disorders Panel are an extension of Arnold Goldberg’s book, The Problem of Perversion. Beside problems of perversion this group of disorders encompasses all behavior disorders which are enacted including addictive disorders such as eating, gambling, drug and alcohol problems. These are the problems most frequently seen by clinicians today.
These disorders have in common the following set of criteria: 1) a specific disorder of the self unique to the individual with its own dynamic. 2) a sexualization or an enactment of this dynamic 3) a vertical split in the self with one part of the self split off discharging its need through enactment, and the other part of the self finding the enactment unacceptable.
Case material will be presented which will demonstrate the diagnosis. The treatment will illustrate how the vertical split is healed through integrative interpretations after a sufficiently solid self-self object transference has developed.
The cases and the theory involved will be discussed and commented on by Arnold Goldberg. Further discussion with the audience will take place in the post panel discussion groups where casebook workshop members will participate as leaders.