The Unanswered Self


Book Description

James F. Masterson pioneered an innovative clinical approach to the dynamic psychotherapy of personality disorder. Masterson held that borderline, narcissistic, and schizoid conditions begin when growth of outer relationship and inner object relatedness is inhibited at focal stages of the development of the self. A therapeutic relationship addressed to the specific developmental needs of a troubled personality, he believed, frees the natural progress of the self toward fulfilment. This review of Masterson's legacy cites his later integration of neurobiology as well as attachment theory and considers inclusion of such post-Masterson concepts as self-state theory. Clinical examples are offered throughout to illustrate this dynamic approach to a therapeutic challenge now at the forefront of today's caseloads.




The Unanswered Letter


Book Description

In 1939, as the Nazis closed in, Alfred Berger mailed a desperate letter to an American stranger who happened to share his last name. He and his wife, Viennese Jews, had found escape routes for their daughters. But now their money, connections, and emotional energy were nearly exhausted. Alfred begged the American recipient of the letter, “You are surely informed about the situation of all Jews in Central Europe.... By pure chance I got your address.... My daughter and her husband will go... to America.... Help us to follow our children.... It is our last and only hope....” After languishing in a California attic for decades, Alfred’s letter ended up in the hands of Faris Cassell, a journalist who couldn’t rest until she discovered the ending of the story. Traveling across the United States as well as to Austria, the Czech Republic, Belarus, and Israel, she uncovered an extraordinary story of heart-wrenching loss and unforgettable love that endures to this day. Did the Bergers’ desperate letter find a response? Did they—and their daughters—survive? Did they leave living descendants? You will find the answers here. A story that will move any reader, The Unanswered Letter is a poignant reminder that love and hope never die.




A Therapist's Guide to the Personality Disorders


Book Description

Contributors from the Masterson Institute introduce the fundamental concepts, theories, and treatment approaches of James F. Masterson, synthesizing the material of his 14 books and many articles. The second part is a workbook in the form of a questionnaire to enable practitioners to apply the skill




Personality Disorders


Book Description

This work offers an evaluation of competing theoretical perspectives and nosological systems for personality disorders. The editors have brought together recognized authorities in the field to offer a synthesis of competing perspectives that provide readers with an assessment for each disorder. The result is a comprehensive, current, and critical summary of research and practice guidelines related to the personality disorders. Key Features focuses on controversies and alternative conceptualizations; separate chapters are dedicated to each personality disorder and considered from various points of view. It presents authoritative perspectives; leading scholars and researchers in the field provide a critical evaluation of alternative perspectives on each personality disorder. And it frames the current state of personality disorder research and practice issues; cutting edge and streamlined research is presented to be used in courses on diagnosis, assessment, psychopathology and abnormal psychology, especially those that include the DSM IV. It also offers an integrative understanding of elusive personality categorizations; wherever possible, case examples are offered as illustrations of each disorders clinical presentation. The use of technical terms are minimized; each contributor takes the approach of a user friendly summary and integration of major trends, findings, and future directions.




Pathologies of the Self


Book Description

Pathologies of the Self explores both narcissistic disturbance and borderline states. For several decades of clinical practice, Phil Mollon has explored and pondered the nature and structure of identity as a core aspect of what drives human action. We are collectively trapped in images, either of our own choosing, or imposed on us by others. These illusions of self shape how we think, feel, and behave and are seemingly necessary for our functioning in society. Some of us become invested in grandiose selfimages, consistently sacrificing perceptions of truth and reality in the service of maintaining these fictions. In such states, we are blind to both the subjectivity of others and to the deeper and more authentic aspect of self. Narcissism affects all human beings, and its thematic tentacles enter all forms of psychotherapy




Knowledge of Self


Book Description

Do you know who - and what - you are? Do you know who you're meant to be? Do you know how to find the answers to questions like these? Knowledge of Self is the result of a process of self-discovery, but few of us know where to begin when we're ready to start looking deeper. Although self-actualization is the highest of all human needs, it is said that only 5% of people ever attain this goal. In the culture of the Nation of Gods and Earths, commonly known as the Five Percent, students are instructed that they must first learn themselves, then their worlds, and then what they must do in order to transform their world for the better. This often intense process has produced thousands of revolutionary thinkers in otherwise desperate environments, where poverty and hopelessness dominate. Until now, few mainstream publications have captured the brilliant yet practical perspectives of these luminary men and women. Knowledge of Self: A Collection of Writings on the Science of Everything in Life presents the thoughts of Five Percenters, both young and old, male and female, from all over the globe, in their own words. Through essays, poems, and even how-to articles, this anthology presents readers with an accurate portrait of what the Five Percent study and teach, as well as sound direction on how to answer timeless questions like: Who am I, and why am I here? Why is there so much injustice in the world, and what can be done about it? Who is God and where on Earth is he? How do I improve myself without losing myself? Why are people of color in the situations they're in? What can we do about the global problems of racism and poverty?




The Unanswered Question


Book Description

Leonard Bernstein's Norton Lectures on the future course of music drew cheers from his Harvard audiences and television viewers. In the re-creation of his talks, the author considers music ranging from Hindu ragas through Mozart and Ravel to Copland, Shoenberg, and Stravinsky.




Transcend


Book Description

A bold reimagining of Maslow's famous hierarchy of needs--and new insights for realizing your full potential and living your most creative, fulfilled, and connected life. When psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman first discovered Maslow's unfinished theory of transcendence, sprinkled throughout a cache of unpublished journals, lectures, and essays, he felt a deep resonance with his own work and life. In this groundbreaking book, Kaufman picks up where Maslow left off, unraveling the mysteries of his unfinished theory, and integrating these ideas with the latest research on attachment, connection, creativity, love, purpose and other building blocks of a life well lived. Kaufman's new hierarchy of needs provides a roadmap for finding purpose and fulfillment--not by striving for money, success, or "happiness," but by becoming the best version of ourselves, or what Maslow called self-actualization. While self-actualization is often thought of as a purely individual pursuit, Maslow believed that the full realization of potential requires a merging between self and the world. We don't have to choose either self-development or self-sacrifice, but at the highest level of human potential we show a deep integration of both. Transcend reveals this level of human potential that connects us not only to our highest creative potential, but also to one another. With never-before-published insights and new research findings, along with exercises and opportunities to gain insight into your own unique personality, this empowering book is a manual for self-analysis and nurturing a deeper connection not only with our highest potential but also with the rest of humanity.




Unanswered


Book Description

Unanswered explores Flora Yang's desire to respond to some of life's largest mysteries. Why did her ten-year-long relationship fail? Why could she not stand up for herself? Why did she not trust the little voice in her head? Through the exploration of unknowns, Yang learns the most important lesson of all: We will never have control over everything and may never like everything about ourselves, but we still have to embark on the journey of self-discovery to find peace and closure. Unlike other books claiming immediate utilitarian benefit, Unanswered is not a panacea. It will be with you, by your side, while you continue on your own personal self-awakening journey. Because, after all, finding your true self and being true to yourself is not a one-time project. Above all else, Yang wants to bring to people how important it is to find the true self and support those who are pursuing their own answers. 




The Unconsoled


Book Description

From the universally acclaimed author of The Remains of the Day comes a mesmerizing novel of completely unexpected mood and matter--a seamless, fictional universe, both wholly unrecognizable and familiar. When the public, day-to-day reality of a renowned pianist takes on a life of its own, he finds himself traversing landscapes that are by turns eerie, comical, and strangely malleable.