ABSTRACT
JustasKohutidentifiestheidealizedparentalimago,soheidentifiesthe grandioseselfasthesecondunconsciousstructurethatisreactivatedinthe treatmentofnarcissisticpersonalitydisorders.RememberthatinKohut's schema,thegrandioseselfistheresultofthechild'ssecondattemptto regainthelostblissfulstatebycreatingasenseofperfectionwithinthe self.Inthiseffort,allimperfectionisassignedtotheworldoutside.These twoconfigurations,theidealizedparentalimagoandthegrandioseself,are partoftwoequallyweighted,simultaneouslyoccurring,streamsof maturingnarcissism.Thetendencytothinkoftheomnipotenceand exhibitionismofthegrandioseselfasthemoreprimitiveofthetwo bespeaksanothervalue-ladenprejudice.Inagivenperson,however,there isoftenaweightingofonestreamovertheother,dependinguponthe natureandthetimingofthetraumaticeventsinearlylife.
