Understanding and Treating Pathological Narcissism

Pathological narcissism has long been considered one of the most challenging conditions to treat in psychotherapy. Given the reluctance of many narcissistic patients to enter into therapy and the unique frustrations these patients can engender in those committed to helping them, even seasoned therapists may find themselves in need of expert guidance.

In this book, todays most prominent thinkers and clinical experts on pathological narcissism address the challenges facing therapists who work with narcissistic patients. They trace the history of our understanding of narcissism, from ancient myth, to Freud and subsequent psychodynamic approaches and also provide clinicians with a comprehensive guide to treatment that covers features of the disorder, diagnosis, and assessment, as well as special considerations in the vital areas of transference and countertransference.

Above all, they emphasise that narcissism is an eminently treatable disorder that can be approached using a variety of therapeutic models.