Self Psychology and Psychosis - Psychoanalytic of Psychosis

In this review of Self Psychology and Psychosis the authors David Garfield and Ira Steinman present a close, clinical engagement with patients experiencing delusions, hallucinations and severe thought disorder. The book is best for clinicians, advanced trainees and serious students of psychoanalysis who want a psychodynamically grounded lens on schizophrenia and related psychoses; its biggest selling point is the sustained focus on how the sense of self fragments in psychosis, shown through case material and theoretical reflection rather than quick summaries.

Key Features

• Clinical immediacy: The text brings the reader into the analyst's consulting room to witness how disordered thought and perception present in real sessions, aiding clinical understanding.
• Theoretical focus: The authors use a self psychology framework to explain how self-esteem, temporal continuity and cohesion of the self are disrupted in psychosis.
• Historical context: The book situates contemporary cases alongside classic psychoanalytic work, helping readers see continuities and differences in conceptual approaches.
• Case-driven analysis: Detailed case material illustrates how delusions, hallucinations and fragmentation of self can be followed and interpreted in treatment.
• Accessible to specialists: Written for professional readers, the book favors depth and clinical nuance over popular simplification.

Who It's For

This volume is aimed squarely at practicing psychoanalysts, psychiatrists with a psychodynamic interest, and advanced trainees who need a rigorous, clinical perspective on psychosis rather than a textbook overview. It is particularly useful for those seeking a coherent self psychology approach to schizophrenia and related conditions.

Readers looking for a brief primer, a medication-focused manual, or a general-audience introduction to mental health will find the tone and depth too specialist; this is not a lay self-help book or a broad epidemiological survey.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Engages directly with clinical material, making theories tangible for practice.
• Provides a sustained, coherent application of self psychology to psychosis that deepens conceptual understanding.
• Places cases in historical psychoanalytic context, which clarifies theoretical choices.

Cons

• The book's specialist focus and analytic language make it less accessible to general readers or those seeking brief practical guidance.

Specifications

Title	Self Psychology and Psychosis
Authors	David Garfield, Ira Steinman
Subject	Psychosis, schizophrenia, psychoanalytic self psychology
Approach	Clinical case analysis and psychoanalytic theory
Audience	Clinicians, psychoanalysts, advanced trainees
Focus	Delusions, hallucinations, fragmentation of the self

Our Verdict

Self Psychology and Psychosis is a thoughtful, clinically rich book for professionals who want a psychoanalytic view of psychosis centered on the fate of the self; it is good value for clinicians seeking depth and case-based learning, though its specialist language limits casual readership.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this book include clinical case material?
Yes. The authors present direct clinical encounters and case analysis to illustrate how psychosis affects self-cohesion.

Is this suitable for nonclinical readers?
No. The book is written for clinicians and advanced trainees and assumes familiarity with psychoanalytic concepts.

What theoretical perspective does it use?
The volume primarily employs a self psychology framework to understand disruptions in self-esteem, continuity and cohesion in psychosis.