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Many years ago, knowing nothing about Self Psychology, I attended my first Self Psychology conference at the behest of a friend. I didn’t understand much of the vocabulary, but I knew that I had come upon a way of understanding human psychological life that could explain much of what I—a relatively new therapist—was experiencing with my patients, but had no theory for. I knew that I needed to learn more, and I soon discovered that Dick Geist was the person to see. A gifted and empathic teacher, Dick provided the best possible introduction to Self Psychology, and I will always be grateful. After all these years, I was delighted to interview my colleague and friend.
DL:
Hi Dick—it’s great to see you, as always! Thank you for taking this time today to talk about your ideas and your work. You’ve contributed so substantially to the world of Self Psychology, and have shaped contemporary Self Psychology in so many ways. We’ve known each other for a long time, but have never talked in this kind of a structured and organized way. I’ve been looking forward to hearing about how your thinking has evolved over time, and I know that all of us will appreciate the chance to get to know more about you and the ideas that have influenced so many of us. Are you ready?
RG:
As ready as I can be!
DL:
Because everyone loves a good story, I wonder whether we could start with your story? How you came to Self Psychology, and when—and what it was like in the early years, as you began to see your patients and your work through this very different psychoanalytic lens?