Discussion of “Dead Inside”

Dead Inside by Laura D’Angelo illustrates the outstanding clinical treatment of a highly traumatized young woman who, thru D’Angelo’s devoted work. is transformed from a debilitating self disorder reflected in depression and impoverished self regard, into a self confident woman who can both more accurately value her own competence and capacity to create. The change in the patient’s confidence in her own being took many years, and went through many permutations. The principal agent of change was to me clearly the relationship Laura established with her, taking her very seriously as a person of worth whose lack of pleasure and appreciation for herself and her talents was a manifestation of the treatment she received from her mother who had looked to the patient for any capacity to see herself as worthy and deserving of respect. The patient became her mother’s only vehicle for pride in herself, so the discipline she imposed and the impossible standards for the patient’s behavior and achievement were impossible to reach. Laura understood her well and worked hard to create the relationsihip that proved invaluable to her patient’s well being and emerging self pride. Laura’s use of self psychology along with her offering the patient a fully present, fully alive other. Laura’s use of her own self in her work was invaluable to the cure she achieved with her patient.