THERAPY OF THE CONSCIENCE - TECHNICAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR WORKING ON THE HARSH SUPEREGO OF THE PATIENT

An indispensable goal of intensive psychotherapy is to modify areas of the superego which are unreasonably harsh and punitive-yet, surprisin gly little is written on this topic. In this paper, after discussing v arious aspects of the superego, I recommend an active treatment techni que which involves educating the patient, over time, about how pervasi ve and punitive is-for lack of a better word-the conscience-of his or her mind. During this process, one can expect a softening and lessenin g of the patient's punitive superego and an expansion of the patient's benign or benevolent superego, as the patient begins to identify with and introject more of the compassionate attitudes which have been imp arted and experienced in the intimate relationship of psychotherapy.