When Insight Hurts: Gestalt Therapy and the Narcissistically-Vulnerable Client

Abstract

"Abstract: In this paper I discuss the difficulties narcissistic clients typically have in Gestalt therapy due to their low self-esteem, lack of an integrated and realistic self-image and inadequate seIf-supportive mechanisms. I use clinical examples to describe how to recognise these problems quickly and how to modify traditional Gestalt therapy so as to be more effective with these clients. Specifically, I propose that we will often get better therapeutic results if we carefully evaluate our client's current level of self-support and choose interventions in accord with that, instead of bringing to our client's attention whatever is the strongest figure for us. In practice, this often means avoiding certain types of insight-oriented interventions in the early stages of therapy and instead focusing on building trust and supporting the client's expression of his or her true feelings. Key words: narcissism, false self, mirroring, the 'Aha!' experience, defensive grandiosity, narcissistic vulnerability."