Essay Database

Many people spend a whole lifetime trying to repair a wounded self. For these "voiceless" people, every action and interaction serves the purpose of finding something of value within themselves. Traditionally, psychologists have termed such people "narcissists," but this is a misnomer. To the outside world it appears that these people "love" themselves. Yet, at their core they don't love themselves--in fact their self barely exists, and what part does exist is deemed worthless. All …

…ultimately acknowledge their core problem: that they grew up in a family where they were neither seen nor heard, and that they employed their perpetual self-building strategies to survive. Acknowledging this truth takes a great deal of courage, for they must face their underlying lack of self-esteem as well as their vulnerability. Then comes the long and painstaking work of building (or resurrecting) a self in the context of an empathic and caring therapy relationship.