What to say? ... How to say is? ... When to say it? - Reflections on changes in the clinical theory of psychoanalytic self psychology

Authors

  • Anna Ornstein

Abstract

With the increasing emphasis on the non-verbal modes of communication, this paper takes a fresh look at the interpretive process in psychoanalysis. The importance of “speaking in the interpretive mode” is demonstrated with two clinical examples. Attention is drawn to recognizing changes as these occur in the course of analysis indicated by a shift from a need to repeat habi-tual behaviour patterns to dreading repetitions. The paper main-tains that the need to repeat old, habitual patterns with newly de-veloping psychic structures co-exist throughout the treatment process.

Keywords Psychoanalysis; self psychology; self-object transfe-rence; interpretive mode

Author Biography

Anna Ornstein

Anna Ornstein, geb. 1927 in Ungarn, emer. Professorin für Kinderpsychiatrie an der Universität von Cincinnati/USA, Psychoanalytikerin aus dem Kreis um Heinz Kohut, über 80 Veröffentlichungen. Darunter 1974/1991: „The dread to repeat und the new beginnng“ („Die Angst vor der Wiederholung und der Neubeginn“), zusammen mit ihrem Mann Paul Ornstein 1996 „Speaking in the inter-pretive mode and feeling understood.“, ebenso 2001 „Empathie und therapeutischer Dialog“, allein 1997 „Tales of slavery and deliver-ance“ („Versklavung und Befreiung. Jüdische Schicksale aus Ungarn als zeitgemäße Pes-sachgeschichten“); zahlreiche Ehrungen.

Korrespondenz: Anna Ornstein, 60 Long-wood Ave. Brookline, MA 02446, USA, E-Mail: A2727b@aol.com (Korrespondenz nur in Englisch),

Verbindungsadresse in Österreich:
Dr. Andrea Harms,
E-Mail: a.harms@utanet.at

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Published

2009-07-01

How to Cite

Ornstein, A. (2009). What to say? . How to say is? . When to say it? - Reflections on changes in the clinical theory of psychoanalytic self psychology. Psychotherapie-Wissenschaft, (3), 118–124. Retrieved from https://psychotherapie-wissenschaft.info/article/view/45

Issue

No. 3 (2009): Psychotherapie Forum 17/3 (veröffentlicht bei Springer Wien New York)

Section

Original Work

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