Marcus West
Biographic Data
| ID | 4503587 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Marcus West |
| GIVEN NAMES | Marcus |
| FAMILY NAME | West |
| SIGNATURE | WEST M |
| AFFILIATIONS | East Sussex County Council |
| VERIFIED | No |
| TOTAL WORKS | 18 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 30 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 18 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2001 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2022 |
| H-INDEX | 3 |
Healthy narcissism and individuation – clinical, cultural and political manifestations
This paper explores the healthy narcissism related to self-expression and looks at how this is frequently pathologized and split-off, with problematic consequences for the individual and for culture. This is explored through Yeats' poem, 'The Second Coming', as are other personal, cultural and clinical manifestations, with a split evident between those who advocate self-denial and those who are 'full of passionate intensity' and seen as narcissis…
Alchemy and the repair of dissociation – a response to William Meredith‐Owen
This paper is a response to William Meredith‐Owen’s paper presented at the inaugural joint conference on ‘Alchemy, a bridge to Jung’s objective psyche’, for The Society of Analytical Psychology and the West Midlands Institute of Psychotherapy in autumn 2020. The paper presents a way of understanding the collective unconscious through the functioning of the core self, and thus offers a bridge which addresses the indivisibility of the personal and …
Covid‐19/Black Lives Matter
It is with great pleasure that we introduce our Special Issue devoted to the two defining phenomena of 2020 – the COVID-19 pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement. It is the first time that the Journal has responded so unequivocally to contemporary events. Analysts are reflective by nature, and we acknowledge the challenge of bringing oneself to the task of writing whilst still ‘in’ the experience. In our call for papers, we asked for both p…
Self, other and individuation
This paper describes narcissism as our natural, infant-like behaviour, and specifies three characteristics relating to the evacuation and avoidance of distress, to control, and to distancing from relationship. It suggests that the processes of incarnation and individuation represent the development of the early ego and the 'resolution' of these narcissistic ways of being, including escape from the 'mirror trap'. The development of the early, cont…
Self‐disclosure, trauma and the pressures on the analyst
This paper argues that self-disclosure is intimately related to traumatic experience and the pressures on the analyst not to re-traumatize the patient or repeat traumatic dynamics. The paper gives a number of examples of such pressures and outlines the difficulties the analyst may experience in adopting an analytic attitude - attempting to stay as closely as possible with what the patient brings. It suggests that self-disclosure may be used to tr…
A response to George Bright
Working in the borderland
This paper outlines a view of early relational trauma as underlying borderline states of mind, and argues that Knox's paper on internal working models and the complex provides a basis for understanding such states of mind. The author argues that in addition to internal working models, the complex also embodies and contains primitive defences of the core self. He outlines how these apply on the objective, subjective, transference and archetypal le…
A Strange Fire
This paper explores the process of psychological and spiritual development through a series of active imaginations arising from the author's 'psycho-spiritual quest', a process of transformation in which the individual progressively frees themselves from the ego's identifications and may be afforded a vision of the 'self as consciousness', as described by Vedanta. The author describes how this quest was facilitated by the disciplines of Transcend…
Into the Darkest Places
Selfless genes, altruism and trauma
Trauma and the transference‐countertransference
This paper focuses on the transference‐countertransference dynamics that manifest in work with those individuals who experienced severe early relational trauma and, in particular, childhood sexual abuse. The literature is surveyed from Davies and Frawley's (1992a) seminal paper through to more current trauma‐related and sensorimotor approaches, which deepen our understanding greatly. The rapidly shifting, powerful, conflicting and kaleidoscopic t…
Jungian Psychoanalysis
Attachment, sensitivity and agency
Envy and difference
This paper explores five examples of envy, examining the similarities and differences between the clinical situations. The theory relating to envy is extensively reviewed and a critique of the Kleinian position is offered, suggesting that the aversion to separation and difference is not only prior to, but also has explanatory precedence over, the functioning of envy. Kleinian examples are explored in this light. The experience of separateness and…
International Journal of Psychoanalysis by Almond, Barbara
The narrow use of the term ego in analytical psychology
This paper(1) explores some aspects of the narrowness of Jung's usage of the term ego and the consequences which are understood to follow there from. Jung is understood to see the ego as a surface phenomenon and, essentially, as the focal point of consciousness, not recognizing its potential to function more broadly, deeply, and unconsciously. Furthermore, although he does recognize the ego as 'the total conscious personality' his use of the term…
Identity, narcissism and the emotional core
This paper describes the course of an analysis which demonstrates how borderline and narcissistic functioning can be understood in terms of a struggle with issues of identity. It shows how such functioning can come to exert a profound hold on the individual and why it seems, at times, a matter of life and death to the patient to avoid states of separation from the analyst. The paper suggests that these complex phenomena can be understood, perhaps…
Internet Discussion Forum Summary
The narrow use of the term ego in analytical psychology
This paper(1) explores some aspects of the narrowness of Jung's usage of the term ego and the consequences which are understood to follow there from. Jung is understood to see the ego as a surface phenomenon and, essentially, as the focal point of consciousness, not recognizing its potential to function more broadly, deeply, and unconsciously. Furthermore, although he does recognize the ego as 'the total conscious personality' his use of the term…
Trauma and the transference‐countertransference
This paper focuses on the transference‐countertransference dynamics that manifest in work with those individuals who experienced severe early relational trauma and, in particular, childhood sexual abuse. The literature is surveyed from Davies and Frawley's (1992a) seminal paper through to more current trauma‐related and sensorimotor approaches, which deepen our understanding greatly. The rapidly shifting, powerful, conflicting and kaleidoscopic t…
Identity, narcissism and the emotional core
This paper describes the course of an analysis which demonstrates how borderline and narcissistic functioning can be understood in terms of a struggle with issues of identity. It shows how such functioning can come to exert a profound hold on the individual and why it seems, at times, a matter of life and death to the patient to avoid states of separation from the analyst. The paper suggests that these complex phenomena can be understood, perhaps…
A Strange Fire
This paper explores the process of psychological and spiritual development through a series of active imaginations arising from the author's 'psycho-spiritual quest', a process of transformation in which the individual progressively frees themselves from the ego's identifications and may be afforded a vision of the 'self as consciousness', as described by Vedanta. The author describes how this quest was facilitated by the disciplines of Transcend…
Self, other and individuation
This paper describes narcissism as our natural, infant-like behaviour, and specifies three characteristics relating to the evacuation and avoidance of distress, to control, and to distancing from relationship. It suggests that the processes of incarnation and individuation represent the development of the early ego and the 'resolution' of these narcissistic ways of being, including escape from the 'mirror trap'. The development of the early, cont…
Attachment, sensitivity and agency
Healthy narcissism and individuation – clinical, cultural and political manifestations
This paper explores the healthy narcissism related to self-expression and looks at how this is frequently pathologized and split-off, with problematic consequences for the individual and for culture. This is explored through Yeats' poem, 'The Second Coming', as are other personal, cultural and clinical manifestations, with a split evident between those who advocate self-denial and those who are 'full of passionate intensity' and seen as narcissis…
Self‐disclosure, trauma and the pressures on the analyst
This paper argues that self-disclosure is intimately related to traumatic experience and the pressures on the analyst not to re-traumatize the patient or repeat traumatic dynamics. The paper gives a number of examples of such pressures and outlines the difficulties the analyst may experience in adopting an analytic attitude - attempting to stay as closely as possible with what the patient brings. It suggests that self-disclosure may be used to tr…
Envy and difference
This paper explores five examples of envy, examining the similarities and differences between the clinical situations. The theory relating to envy is extensively reviewed and a critique of the Kleinian position is offered, suggesting that the aversion to separation and difference is not only prior to, but also has explanatory precedence over, the functioning of envy. Kleinian examples are explored in this light. The experience of separateness and…
Internet Discussion Forum Summary
Identity, narcissism and the emotional core
This paper describes the course of an analysis which demonstrates how borderline and narcissistic functioning can be understood in terms of a struggle with issues of identity. It shows how such functioning can come to exert a profound hold on the individual and why it seems, at times, a matter of life and death to the patient to avoid states of separation from the analyst. The paper suggests that these complex phenomena can be understood, perhaps…
International Journal of Psychoanalysis by Almond, Barbara
The narrow use of the term ego in analytical psychology
This paper(1) explores some aspects of the narrowness of Jung's usage of the term ego and the consequences which are understood to follow there from. Jung is understood to see the ego as a surface phenomenon and, essentially, as the focal point of consciousness, not recognizing its potential to function more broadly, deeply, and unconsciously. Furthermore, although he does recognize the ego as 'the total conscious personality' his use of the term…
Envy and difference
This paper explores five examples of envy, examining the similarities and differences between the clinical situations. The theory relating to envy is extensively reviewed and a critique of the Kleinian position is offered, suggesting that the aversion to separation and difference is not only prior to, but also has explanatory precedence over, the functioning of envy. Kleinian examples are explored in this light. The experience of separateness and…
Jungian Psychoanalysis
Attachment, sensitivity and agency
Selfless genes, altruism and trauma
Trauma and the transference‐countertransference
This paper focuses on the transference‐countertransference dynamics that manifest in work with those individuals who experienced severe early relational trauma and, in particular, childhood sexual abuse. The literature is surveyed from Davies and Frawley's (1992a) seminal paper through to more current trauma‐related and sensorimotor approaches, which deepen our understanding greatly. The rapidly shifting, powerful, conflicting and kaleidoscopic t…
A response to George Bright
Working in the borderland
This paper outlines a view of early relational trauma as underlying borderline states of mind, and argues that Knox's paper on internal working models and the complex provides a basis for understanding such states of mind. The author argues that in addition to internal working models, the complex also embodies and contains primitive defences of the core self. He outlines how these apply on the objective, subjective, transference and archetypal le…
A Strange Fire
This paper explores the process of psychological and spiritual development through a series of active imaginations arising from the author's 'psycho-spiritual quest', a process of transformation in which the individual progressively frees themselves from the ego's identifications and may be afforded a vision of the 'self as consciousness', as described by Vedanta. The author describes how this quest was facilitated by the disciplines of Transcend…
Into the Darkest Places
Self‐disclosure, trauma and the pressures on the analyst
This paper argues that self-disclosure is intimately related to traumatic experience and the pressures on the analyst not to re-traumatize the patient or repeat traumatic dynamics. The paper gives a number of examples of such pressures and outlines the difficulties the analyst may experience in adopting an analytic attitude - attempting to stay as closely as possible with what the patient brings. It suggests that self-disclosure may be used to tr…
Self, other and individuation
This paper describes narcissism as our natural, infant-like behaviour, and specifies three characteristics relating to the evacuation and avoidance of distress, to control, and to distancing from relationship. It suggests that the processes of incarnation and individuation represent the development of the early ego and the 'resolution' of these narcissistic ways of being, including escape from the 'mirror trap'. The development of the early, cont…
Alchemy and the repair of dissociation – a response to William Meredith‐Owen
This paper is a response to William Meredith‐Owen’s paper presented at the inaugural joint conference on ‘Alchemy, a bridge to Jung’s objective psyche’, for The Society of Analytical Psychology and the West Midlands Institute of Psychotherapy in autumn 2020. The paper presents a way of understanding the collective unconscious through the functioning of the core self, and thus offers a bridge which addresses the indivisibility of the personal and …
Covid‐19/Black Lives Matter
It is with great pleasure that we introduce our Special Issue devoted to the two defining phenomena of 2020 – the COVID-19 pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement. It is the first time that the Journal has responded so unequivocally to contemporary events. Analysts are reflective by nature, and we acknowledge the challenge of bringing oneself to the task of writing whilst still ‘in’ the experience. In our call for papers, we asked for both p…
Healthy narcissism and individuation – clinical, cultural and political manifestations
This paper explores the healthy narcissism related to self-expression and looks at how this is frequently pathologized and split-off, with problematic consequences for the individual and for culture. This is explored through Yeats' poem, 'The Second Coming', as are other personal, cultural and clinical manifestations, with a split evident between those who advocate self-denial and those who are 'full of passionate intensity' and seen as narcissis…
Psychoanalysis (13 works) · Psychology (13 works) · Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications (10 works) · Philosophy (9 works) · Philosophy (9 works) · Social Psychology (9 works) · Social Psychology (9 works) · Computer Science (7 works) · Citation (6 works) · Library science (6 works)