The Injured Self

This book examines the clinical implications of innate developmental individuality. The authors present a model of what they call “developmentally informed” therapy, based on the assumption that biologically determined (or co-determined) maladjusted behaviours and deficiencies of ego functions cannot be resolved by interpretation of an unconscious conflict, but need to be “validated”, analysed, and integrated with the personality. Several clinical case histories illustrate the authors’ approach. The case presentations are followed by a discussion of counselling parents of children with developmental deviations. The authors also discuss the theoretical issues that arise from this and the role of cognition, especially learning, in the therapeutic relationship and the therapeutic process. Finally, the authors present some recent advances in neuro-behavioural sciences which appear relevant to the issues discussed in the book, and close with a concluding discussion.