The exploding self : the creative and destructive nucleus of the personality

Foreword by Anthony Storr.

Foreword - Anthony Storr. Preface. 1 Introduction. 2 The bonb in dreams: unfaceable aspects of the self. 3 From concrete behaviour to the ability to use metaphors and symbols in therapy. 4 The interdependence of our outer and inner worlds. 5 The explosive self and the maternal container. 6 Trees, fountains, eggs, volcanoes, and bombs: symbols of renewal or breakthrough of varying degrees of violence. 7 Atom bomb and divine child: regression and responsibility. 8 History seen partly as concretized mythology: the interaction of the subpersonalities of the self. 9 Human sacrifice. 10 The rise of the male gods and the separation of the opposites. 11 Pavlov, Freud, and Jung on the meeting of oppositges. 12 The democratization of the divine self. 13 The healing apocalypse. 14 The task of healing. 15 Summary and conclusions

'...Using many illustrations from history and from individual cases, he demonstrates that potential destruction can often be transformed into new and fruitful change provided that the urge to destroy can be contained for long enough. In individuals, aggressive behaviour is often a thoughtless substitute for accepting painful experiences and resentful feelings which are unacknowledged by the individual and projected upon "enemies." Acting out aggression by attacking others brings temporary relief but no insight; whereas containing aggression and reflecting oh its cause makes possible the development of new attitudes.' --Foreword (Anthony Storr)

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