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We bring together, in this issue aptly entitled “The Many Faces of Self Psychology,” nine contributors who explore the depth and breadth of contemporary psychoanalytic thinking from within the always expanding big tent of self psychology, The articles beautifully reflect the world of self psychology today – a world which is diverse in its thinking and international in its membership. Composed, then, of a diverse, international group of thinkers and clinicians, their articles attest to the sustaining genius of Heinz Kohut’s foundational ideas. Further, with their unique voices and perspectives, the authors expand contemporary self psychology by developing and articulating their own original ideas, demonstrating the vitality and thoughtfulness within self psychology today.
In total, the issue consists of six individual articles followed by a two-part reflective essay. The article contributors are: 1) Joye Weisel-Barth, 2) Daniel Goldin, 3) Martin Gossmann, 4) Richard Geist, 5) Koichi Togashi and Amanda Kottler, and 6) Marie Hellinger and Elizabeth Carr. The two-part extensive essay is written by Estelle Shane and Elizabeth Carr. In the first part, Shane presents her current thinking about relational self psychology and in the second part, Carr, with contributions from Shane, provides a reflective and integrative essay concerning the six original articles presented in the issue.
To begin, Joye Weisel-Barth from Los Angeles, California, explores the way Kohut used his literary sensibility to articulate his ideas, making them come alive in ways that have inspired generations of psychoanalysts as well as continuing to influence psychoanalytic thinking. In particular, Weisel-Barth shows that Kohut was a great story-teller who brilliantly used narratives to demonstrate his new clinical approach – an approach that was both revolutionary and transformative. She argues that Kohut made a compelling case for his new theory through his literary sensibility and his skill at conveyin