Heinz Kohut and the Psychology of the Self

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 along for treatment. Written predominantly for a psychoanalytic audience, Kohut’s work is often difficult to interpret. Allen M. Siegel uses examples from his own practice to show how Kohut’s innovative theories can be applied to other forms of treatment.