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between and of, different experiential-representational domains , from pre-psychic pre- symbolic (action, somatosensory, visceral) registers towards unconscious symbolic representation in dreams and finally preconscious symbolic-representational domain of language (Papiasvili 2016), and may constitute a meeting point with some of Wilfred Bion’s as well as André Green’s conceptualizations of transformation (Grotstein 2014, Green 2006). VI. Bdb. Self Psychology Perspectives From the point of view of Self psychology the self as a core of personality is developmentally established, preserved and transformed in the context of ‘ selfobjects ’, defined as others who are experienced as part of the self and who serve essential functions for the self (Auchincloss and Samberg 2012). In the clinical context, this was thought to be accomplished through the process of ‘ transmuting internalization ’, through which the patient becomes able to take over the selfobject functions previously provided by the analyst (Kohut 1971). Exploring ‘transmuting internalization’ as structuring self experience from the phenomenological perspective focused on the subjective representational world , Atwood and Stolorow (1980) posit that the patient may experience this developmental process as a ‘relocalization’ of the selfobject functions in ‘phenomenological space’, whereby they become assimilated into the self-representation. Developmentally transformative processes encompass the complicated interplay between these internalization processes, the holding functions of the therapeutic bond, and the patient's acquisition of self-regulatory capacities. Such developmentally transformative processes result in enduring reorganizations of the subjective field in which experienced qualities of the mirroring or idealized selfobjects are translocated and assimilated into the patient's increasingly differentiated self-representations More recently, Socarides and Stolorow (1984) elaborated on the developmental transformation of affectivity within the frame of Self Psychology, highlighting the use of affects as self-signals, and on the primary role of selfobject transference bond as the central developmentally transformative agent. Elisabeth Carr and Mauricio Cortina (2011) believe that Kohut's concept of an idealizing selfobject experience can be seen from an attachment perspective to include a representation of self as worthy of love and a representation of others (attachment figures) as being stronger and wiser than self. Referencing Stern (1985), Bowlby (1969, 1988), Lichtenberg (Lichtenberg, Lachmann and Fosshage 1992) and others, they link Kohut's mirroring selfobject concept with theory of mind, mentalizing functions, and intersubjective abilities.
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