Treatment of Severe Personality Disorders: A Comprehensive Guide

In this seminal work, renowned psychoanalyst and psychiatrist Otto F. Kernberg presents a cutting-edge update on the treatment of severe personality disorders, shedding light on the complex interplay between neurobiological and psychodynamic determinants.

Understanding Personality Disorders and Their Treatment

Kernberg draws on the empirical research and clinical investigations of the Personality Disorders Institute of the Weill Cornell Medical College Department of Psychiatry to provide an in-depth examination of the syndrome of identity diffusion and its impact on emotional wellbeing and relationships. The author explores the effectiveness of transference-focused psychotherapy, a specific psychodynamic treatment approach developed at the Institute, and clarifies the essential techniques common to all psychoanalytically derived treatments.

The Classification of Personality Disorders: Past, Present, and Future

Kernberg delves into the complex issue of classification, discussing the evolution of DSM-III and DSM-IV, and the impact of new knowledge on the classification of DSM-5. He highlights the conflicts between scientific and political considerations that have hindered the classification of personality disorders in the past.

The Interplay between Neurobiological and Psychodynamic Determinants

The author illustrates how present knowledge of neurobiological structures and neurotransmitters intertwines with the psychodynamic determinants of psychic experience. This fascinating exploration provides a deeper understanding of the complex mechanisms underlying personality disorders.

Psychodynamic Psychotherapies: Developments, Controversies, and Approaches

Kernberg examines the role of interpretation in borderline pathology, presents a new formulation of supportive psychodynamic psychotherapy, and addresses severe narcissistic pathology, including its diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. He also explores the diagnosis and treatment of sexual pathology and the vicissitudes of love lives in patients with severe personality disorders.

Education and Training for Psychodynamic Psychotherapists

In the concluding chapter, Kernberg emphasizes the essential preconditions for the education and training of psychodynamic psychotherapists, providing valuable insights into the challenging and complex psychotherapeutic work in this field.

With its comprehensive coverage and in-depth analysis, Treatment of Severe Personality Disorders: Resolution of Aggression and Recovery of Eroticism is an invaluable resource for mental health professionals, researchers, and students seeking to advance their understanding of personality disorders and their treatment.