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This paper is a study of Death in Venice by Thomas Mann, a novella which dramatizes the function of the experience of beauty in the main character’s struggle to ward off impending self-disintegration. It reinterprets Von Achenbach’s erotic infatuation, the dramatic focus of the work, as his effort to maintain self-cohesion through the experience of an archaic, sexualized idealization of the beautiful boy Tadzio. Aschenbach’s obsession rather than being a symptom of self-disintegration, is in fact a restorative effort, the boy’s beauty offering Aschenbach an experience of perfection, in other words an opportunity for a transcendent self-object experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The editorial introduction in the fourth issue of Psychoanalysis: Self & Context in 2024 features a paper on Permeable Boundaries by Richard Geist and Meredith Nocek, which sparked controversy at a self-psychology conference in Chicago. Various perspectives on permeable boundaries are explored by Charles Strozier, Denise Davis, Daniel Perlitz, and Sarah Mendelsohn. The issue also includes articles on extending self psychology into new areas, book reviews, and a call for submissions for future issues. The editors express gratitude to contributors and readers for making Volume #19 a success and look forward to continued collaboration in the future. [Extracted from the article]

The editorial introduction in the journal "Psychoanalysis: Self & Context" highlights papers from TRISP on "Intersubjective Self Psychology" and Turkish colleagues discussing therapy challenges in a politically turbulent environment. The papers emphasize cultural sensitivity and expand clinical possibilities, with a focus on healing cultural trauma. Additional papers explore moralism in therapy and racial introjection post the U.S. Capitol assault. The issue concludes with a review of Michael Norton's book "The Ritual Effect." [Extracted from the article]

Many patients resist engagement in the therapeutic relationship because they fear the traumatic consequences of the mobilization of thwarted selfobject needs in what they fear will be a faulty, nonempathic environment. At times this resistance is manifest in "narcissistic rage" as described by Heinz Kohut. Providing opportunities for selfobject experience in work with these patients can be challenging. In his 1971 paper The Use of the Object, D.W. Winnicott described a developmental process in which the state of omnipotent merger with important objects undergoes a transformation in which the other is increasingly recognized as not only outside the self, but also in possession of a subjectivity of its own and thus can be made use of. In work with some seriously and persistently mentally ill, the client's capacity to make use of the clinician is poorly developed or highly conflicted. Given this the clinical process in which the client achieves the recognition of the worker and trust in their intentions—and hence can make use of them as a selfobject, is often prolonged and stormy. A case is discussed at length that illustrates this. The report documents the importance of holding, containment, management of the countertransference, and survival strategies for the clinician. It also shows the patient's growing ability to make use of the clinician as a selfobject as she struggles to understand and cope with changes in her life world and self-experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Counseling has been a major service component of methadone maintenance since its inception. Yet, there is no consensus about what methadone counseling is or how it should be practiced. This paper proposes a definition of professional methadone counseling as a specialized modality of addiction therapy and rehabilitation. Five principals of methadone counseling are reviewed: (1) coordination of care, (2) use of the counseling relationship, (3) attention to the stage of recovery, (4) structure and flexibility, and (5) facilitation of patient resourcefulness and social recovery. Fifteen components of methadone counseling are also reviewed. These include interventions focused on (1) the initial phase of treatment, (2) the treatment itself, and (3) the work of rehabilitation. General counseling issues are considered, such as counselor education, the role of the counselor in the program, the methadone controversy, as well as the impact of HIV disease and 'crack/ cocaine.' In closing, the advantages of the proposed model are stressed. Keywords--counseling; methadone; addiction; opiates; treatment.

Psychoanalysis, Self, and Context (PSC) faced potential discontinuation in 2022 due to a lack of articles and the cancellation of in-person meetings during the Covid pandemic. However, a task force led by George Hagman proposed solutions to keep the journal alive. Marcia Dobson, George Hagman, and John Riker have taken on the role of Editors-in-Chief and have made significant progress in securing the future of PSC. They have received enough high-quality submissions to sustain the journal through 2024 and have assembled a group of associate editors and peer reviewers. The new editors aim to continue offering PSC as a platform for theoretical and clinical development, social and political debate, and cultural study. They welcome diverse perspectives on topics such as sexuality, gender, and race, and are committed to making the journal a transcultural and international forum. The first issue under the new editors includes articles on climate change, queer theory, Buddhist wisdom in therapy, diversity within ethnic similarities, empathy, and the energy of the self. The journal also features sections on authors introducing their works and book reviews. The editors encourage members of the International Association for Psychoanalytic Self Psychology (IAPSP) to contribute to the journal by submitting papers, conducting reviews, and promoting PSC. Overall, PSC is alive and well, and readers are encouraged to engage with and contribute to the journal. [Extracted from the article]

In this paper, I argue that awareness of and the capacity for personal agency is at the heart of self-experience, and I explore how this agentic self emerges from social interactions, especially selfobject experience. I then illustrate ways in which self-agency can be derailed, disrupted, and even usurped. Finally, I examine the implications of these findings for clinical psychoanalytic practice. There is a paradox at the heart of my thesis – every human being is ineluctably embedded in his or her environment, especially the social environment, and his or her existence, psychologically and physically, is inconceivable outside this context. At the same time, it is this environmental system that gives rise to the capacity for freedom and self-agency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experience of massive psychic trauma has been all too common in human history, uprooting us from the safety of our homes and thrusting us into strange and dangerous environments. The combination of uncertainty and stress bears down on us emotionally, putting the integrity of self-experience at risk. The psychological disorders resulting from trauma (such as posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and moral injury) can be disruptive, painful, and refractory. Among the many ways in which modern culture has reflected on these experiences, narrative media—such as novels, film, and television—have frequently dramatized the experience and aftermath of trauma. In this article I discuss the AMC television seriesThe Walking Dead, which depicts the ongoing struggle of a group of survivors of a zombie apocalypse. The psychological and interpersonal impact of coping with the demands of a postapocalyptic world is the primary focus of the narrative ofThe Walking Dead. I examine of the series’ sustained depiction of trauma. I stress the central role of uncertainty, the disruption of our assumptive worlds, and the loss of trust in the foundations of our lives. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]