Self-protections in the narcissistic transference
Giovacchini (1975) Self-protections in the narcissistic transference Int J Psychoanal Psychother (IF: -1) 4 142-66Abstract
This is a study of two patients who had what might be considered classical examples of narcissistic transferences. They were both severely disturbed persons and one could decompensate into a disruptive psychosis. Consequently it is not surprising that their transference projections would be consonant with their primitive orientations. They projected hateful and hating parts of the self onto the analyst. But within all this hatred was a part of the self that had the potential to achieve good things for the patient. I believe the latter is a special feature of narcissistic transferences that has revieved very little emphasis and a feature that may cause us to view such patients and their projections somewhat more optimistically in terms of their potential for growth and treatability.
