Self-love does not mean feeling the emotion love for oneself as an object, but rather reflects a state of wholeness and integration, where we accept the entire range of our emotions but feel driven by neither narcissistic defenses nor the demands of our superego.
Category: Self-Esteem and Self-Sabotage
The Interpretation of a Dream
An example of dream interpretation with a client in psychotherapy, with some thoughts about Freud’s The Interpretation of Dreams.
Freud’s Theory of the Id, Ego and Superego: Lost in Translation
Good things about the superego, and how it came to have a bad rap.
Pride and the Healing of Shame
The healing of shame does not mean “triumphing” over it, but rather learning to bear that shame and not respond defensively to it, thereby earning feelings of pride and self-respect.
Lessons from Amy Chua, the Tiger Mother
A discussion of Amy Chua’s book, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, some useful lessons to be drawn about realistic expectations for ourselves and our children, and how to meet them without resorting to cruelty and perfectionism.