ABSTRACT
The domain of psychoanalytic thinking has evolved significantly since Freud advanced drive theory as a model for understanding psychic life. Throughout the last several decades, many other frameworks for practice were introduced that built on and diverged from Freud’s thinking. Heinz Kohut, a classically trained analyst who for many years subscribed to drive theory, left the fold by articulating important changes in classical metapsychology and by creating a new branch of psychoanalytic practice. As has happened with Freud’s propositions, there have been critiques and elaborations of Kohut’s original work. The dilemma we faced in writing this chapter was whether to present Kohut’s work or to describe the current incarnation of self psychology. We decided to focus on Kohut’s ideas as originally presented because, in our experience, the origins of a theory must be grasped in order to understand its evolution.
