Challenges 'the limits of classical analytic theory' and the Freudian orthodoxy. This book proposes a 'psychology of the self' as a theory in its own right. It explores issues such as the role of narcissism in personality, when a patient can be considered cured, and the oversimplifications and social biases that unduly influenced Freudian thought.



In his foundational work "The Restoration of the Self", noted psychoanalyst Heinz Kohut boldly challenges 'the limits of classical analytic theory' and the Freudian orthodoxy. Here Kohut proposes a 'psychology of the self' as a theory in its own right - one that can stand beside the teachings of Freud and Jung. Using clinical data, Kohut explores issues such as the role of narcissism in personality, when a patient can be considered cured, and the oversimplifications and social biases that unduly influenced Freudian thought. This volume puts forth some of Kohut's most influential ideas on achieving emotional health through a balanced, creative, and joyful sense of self.