Ego Ideal – Is There an Ideal Ego?
Oh, the ego ideal! What misery this little psychodynamic bug-a-boo causes us. What is ego ideal? Early on, Freud used both expressions ‘ideal ego‘ and ‘ego ideal’. Later, Freud (1921),…
Object Relations Theory
Understanding object relations theory gives one invaluable insight into themselves and others. Object Relations Theory is the idea that the ego-self exists in relation to other objects, which may be…
Castration Complex
The core of the castration complex is castration anxiety. Castration anxiety literally means the fear that one’s testicles will be chopped off. The other day, I was talking to a…
Conceptualizing the Non-Conceptual
Think about it – conceptualizing the non-conceptual. Not only is that wild, but also mysterious and incredibly fantastical! If all of reality is based on space, nothingness, emptiness, or the…
Sense of Identity
What gives us our sense of identity? Some of the components of our sense of identity include: Personal History Body Image Familiar Sensations Thought Patterns Patterns of Reactivity Name Beyond…
Good and Evil
Came across this today in Your Soul’s Compass: We’ve defined the Soul’s Compass as an intelligence located in the heart that’s capable of perceiving and responding to the good. In…