Heinz Kohut and the Psychology of the Self

Book excerpt: Heinz Kohut's work represents an important departure from the Freudian tradition of psychoanalysis. A founder of the Self Psychology movement in America, he based his practice on the belief that narcissistic vulnerabilities play a significant part in the suffering that brings people for treatment. Written predominantly for a psychoanalytic audience Kohut's work is often difficult to interpret. Siegel uses examples from his own practice to show how Kohut's innovative theories can be applied to other forms of treatment.