1st Edition

The Injured Self The Psychopathology and Psychotherapy of Developmental Deviations

By Dov R. Aleksandrowicz Copyright 2011
    272 Pages
    by Routledge

    272 Pages
    by Routledge

    This book examines the clinical implications of innate developmental individuality. The authors present a model of what they call “developmentally informed” therapy, based on the assumption that biologically determined (or co-determined) maladjusted behaviours and deficiencies of ego functions cannot be resolved by interpretation of an unconscious conflict, but need to be “validated”, analysed, and integrated with the personality. Several clinical case histories illustrate the authors’ approach. The case presentations are followed by a discussion of counselling parents of children with developmental deviations. The authors also discuss the theoretical issues that arise from this and the role of cognition, especially learning, in the therapeutic relationship and the therapeutic process. Finally, the authors present some recent advances in neuro-behavioural sciences which appear relevant to the issues discussed in the book, and close with a concluding discussion.

    Preface -- Psychotherapy of a borderline child: Uri -- Early development and the developmental matrix -- Clinical manifestations of developmental deviations -- Emotional effects of developmental deviations: the injured self -- Effect of deviations on the progression of developmental stages -- Coping with maladaptive development -- Raising a child with idiosyncratic development: a mission barely possible -- Diagnosis of developmental deviations -- Developmentally informed therapy -- Psychotherapy of a girl with minimal ADHD: Giselle, the "Girl who Tamed Dinosaurs" -- Reconstruction in psychoanalysis: Ms. C., the "Slow Scientist" -- Psychoanalysis of a patient with borderline personality disorder and minimal encephalopathy: Mr. G., the "Great White Hunter" -- Shahar: art therapy of a boy with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Conduct Disorder -- Parent counselling and early intervention -- Mastery, aggression, and narcissism -- Cognition in psychoanalysis and psychotherapy -- Neurobiological perspective -- Conclusions

    Biography

    Dov R. Aleksandrowicz