Dr. James Husen, Licensed Psychologist, Licensed Attorney, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

  Generally speaking, guilt tends to be helpful and leads to personal growth and positive change. This is because "in guilt, the self is negatively evaluated in connection with something, but is not itself the focus of the experience." When it comes to shame; however, shame tends to be about one's identity. (Lewis, H. B. (1971). Shame and guilt in neurosis. Psychoanalytic Review, 58(3), 419-438) I read the entire article for your edification at the following link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/jtb0nzkz0l3kuph/Lewis%2C%201971%2C%20Shame%20and%20Guilt.mp4?dl=0 Lewis, H. B. (1971). Shame and guilt in neurosis. Psychoanalytic Review, 58(3), 419-438 For your read the article yourself click the following Link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/3xsgnccm0kkkprv/Helen%20Lewis_%20Shame%20and%20Guilt%20in%20Neurosis_.pdf?dl=0 I do notice that a lot of the research on Shame and Guilt took place in the late seventies and early eighties. I haven't been seeing much in the literature these days

 1. Lack of Value and Justification

 I've been studying Systems Theory, Attachment, and Psychoanalysis as it relates to Family Conflict and how to ameliorate or help such families. I thought I would leave some of my readings on my Blog for others and myself: 1.      Pocock on Working with Emotional Systems 2.     

  I have been studying human development and writing a little piece thereon lately. In my studies I was reminded of Freud's "Formulations on the Two Principles of Mental Functioning" If desired you can listen to me read the entire paper--it's not long. Just click the link below highlighting Freud's title for his paper: Freud, S. (1911) Formulations on the Two Principles of Mental Functioning. The Standard Edition of the Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud 12:213-226 The essence of the the paper is captured in the following quotes:

In some of my studies this morning I was reminded of the great pediatrician D. W. Winnicott and his observations of children and the capacity to be alone as associated with emotional maturity. I therefore thought I would read that short chapter. The link and reference for the work is as follows: Winnicott, D. W. (1965). The capacity to be alone (pp. 29-35). In M. M. R. Khan (Ed.), The maturational processes and the facilitating environment: Studies in the theory of emotional development. M. M. R. Khan (Ed.). London: Hogarth Press. Original article published in 1958.

 I am studying this morning and came across two articles I think important to understanding coparenting conflicts and the effect the same has on children. The scientific literature has identified problematic coparenting after the breakup / divorce as a "mediator" of child adjustment: 1.  Dallos, R. & Vetere, A. (2012). Systems theory, family attachment and processes of triangulation: Does the concept of triangulation offer a useful bridge? Journal of Family Therapy, 34 , 117-137. 2.  Woodcock, Jeremy (2009). Love and hate and the oedipal myth: The perfect bridge between the systemic and the psychoanalytic. In C. Flaskas & D. Pocock (Eds.), Systems and psychoanalysis : Contemporary integrations in family therapy . (pp. 199-222). Taylor & Francis Group, 2009.   London: Karnac Books.

Here I read Baumeister 1991 book entitled Escape from the Self. I was so impressed with Baumeister's work on the self in his 2022 book entitled The Self Explained that I wanted to read this one which deal with different ways we use to escape from the burden of the self. That burden as described by Baumeister in his more recent book involves his theory that the self evolved to facilitate complex social organization. As such the self is intimately bound to issues of reputation and impression management.  If you're interested in such constructs as I am read with me. Preface 1. Identity: Paradise or Prison? 2. Why Escape the Self?--The Burden of the Self. 3. The Self Against Itself 4. The Process of Escape 5.