Pathological narcissism has long been considered one of the most challenging conditions to treat in psychotherapy. Given the reluctance of many narcissistic patients to enter into therapy and the unique frustrations these patients can engender in those committed to helping them, even seasoned therapists may find themselves in need of expert guidance.
In this book, today's most prominent thinkers and clinical experts on pathological narcissism address the challenges facing therapists who work with narcissistic patients. They trace the history of our understanding of narcissism, from ancient myth, to Freud and subsequent psychodynamic approaches and also provide clinicians with a comprehensive guide to treatment that covers features of the disorder, diagnosis, and assessment, as well as special considerations in the vital areas of transference and countertransference.
Above all, they emphasize that narcissism is an eminently treatable disorder that can be approached using a variety of therapeutic models.
Contributors
Acknowledgements
Introduction
John S. Ogrodniczuk
I. Introduction to Narcissism
- Historical Overview of Pathological Narcissism
Brin F. S. Grenyer
II. Diagnosis and Assessment
- Defining Narcissistic Subtypes
Eric Russ and Jonathan Shedler - Narcissism in the DSM
Kenneth N. Levy, Kevin B. Meehan, Nicole M. Cain, and William D. Ellison - Narcissism in the Psychodynamic Diagnostic Manual
Eve Caligor - Prototypical Formulation of Pathological Narcissism
Mardi Horowitz - The Pathological Narcissism Inventory
Aaron L. Pincus
III. Clinical Features of Pathological Narcissism
- Interpersonal Problems of Narcissistic Patients
John S. Ogrodniczuk and David Kealy - Affect Regulation and Mentalization in Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Serge Lecours, Rachel Briand-Malenfant, and Emilie Descheneaux - Conflicts and Defenses in Narcissistic Personality Disorder
J. Christopher Perry and Michelle D. Presniak - Pathological Narcissism and the Risk of Suicide
Paul S. Links - Sex and Race–Ethnic Differences in Psychiatric Comorbidity of Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Attila J. Pulay and Bridget F. Grant
IV. Treatment Considerations and Approaches
- Countertransference Issues in the Treatment of Pathological Narcissism
Glen O. Gabbard - Maintaining Boundaries in the Treatment of Pathological Narcissism
Andrew F. Luchner - Transference-Focused Psychotherapy for Narcissistic Personality
Barry L. Stern, Frank Yeomans, Diana Diamond, and Otto F. Kernberg - Kohut's Self-Psychology Approach to Treating Pathological Narcissism
M. David Liberman - Treating Pathological Narcissism With Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy
Manuel Trujillo - Schema Therapy for Pathological Narcissism: The Art of Adaptive Reparenting
Wendy T. Behary and Eva Dieckmann - Cognitive Behavioral Perspectives on the Theory and Treatment of the Narcissistic Character
Arthur Freeman and Suzy Fox
Index
About the Editor
John S. Ogrodniczuk, PhD, is an associate professor and director of the Psychotherapy Program in the Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia. In his role as director, he coordinates the operations of Canada's second largest medically based psychotherapy training program. In addition, he has developed a psychotherapy research program that is recognized as one of the more comprehensive and productive of its kind.
His research involves a variety of psychotherapies and patient populations, but he has a particular interest in studying psychodynamic psychotherapy, personality disorder, and men's mental health.
Dr. Ogrodniczuk has received regular funding to support his research and has more than 100 scientific publications. He has coauthored three previous books with APA.
He is a recipient of the Outstanding Early Career Achievement Award that is presented by the Society for Psychotherapy Research.
In addition to his research, he is involved with teaching medical students and psychiatry residents, serves as associate editor for the journal Psychotherapy Research, serves on the editorial board for three other journals (Group Dynamics, Journal of Personality Disorders, and Psychotherapy), provides regular reviews for more than a dozen scientific and clinical journals, and consults with mental health clinics about service provision and evaluation.