ABSTRACT
Completion of the processes of separation-individuation, and achievement of the state of being on the way to object constancy, is the crucial developmental step allowing for the consolidation and expression of the real self (Mahler, 1975; Masterson, 1985). The borderline has not accomplished this developmental task. The clinician's job is to attend closely to the rekindling of the separation-individuation process, assisting the patient to separate and individuate. Effective treatment rests upon the patient's improved ability to express the real self, that is, to manage the processes of self activation, and to develop the capacity to distinguish self from other with increasing clarity and effectiveness.
