Contributions of Self Psychology to Group Psychotherapy

Stone's central interests include the development of the self, empathy, narcissism, shame, envy, rage and the group-self. He is concerned with several aspects of clinical technique and is especially sensitive to our co-creation of so-called "difficult patients". His understanding of dreams as both personal and group products which manifest visual narratives will be of particular interest to students of the social and collective unconscious. Stone's work with narcissistic and borderline patients developed in parallel with his work with the chronically mentally ill, who are often institutionalised. He demonstrates that group therapy for such patients is not only a matter of containment and holding in the service of administrative control, but also involves interpretative work based on an understanding of the primary need for a good enough self-object.

Walter N Stone

Foreword , Preface , Introduction , Theory , Contributions of the psychology of the self to group process and group therapy , The group self: A neglected aspect of group psychotherapy , Group-as-a-whole: A self psychological perspective , Dreams as portraits of self and group interaction , A self psychological perspective of group development , Clinical Applications , A self psychological perspective of envy in group psychotherapy , Frustration, anger, and the significance of alter-ego transferences in group psychotherapy , Self Psychology and the Higher Mental Functioning hypothesis: Complementary theories , The role of the therapist's affect in the detection of empathic failures, misunderstandings and injury , Severe Disorders , Technique in group psychotherapy of narcissistic and borderline patients , Affect and therapeutic process in groups for chronically mentally persons , Strivings and expectations: An examination of process in groups for persons with chronic mental illness , Saying goodbye: Exploring attachments as a therapist leaves a group of chronically ill persons