Fifty Shades of Narcissism: A field guide for understanding varied narcissistic presentations

Canada · CEU points & talks · Psychologists

Canadian psychologists, enhance your clinical skills with 'Fifty Shades of Narcissism'. This in-depth CEU talk offers a field guide to understanding complex narcissistic presentations, including overt and covert expressions and nearly 40 variations. Gain critical insights into the internal world of the narcissist, analyse relational patterns like idealisation and devaluation, and learn to apply psychodynamic formulations for more effective client and family treatment.

In part two of this 3-part set on narcissism, a complex phenomenon is unpacked. Narcissism is not always recognisable using the clean-cut criteria of the DSM. Most often practitioners are caught out by this baffling and cunning personality disorder, and stumped in trying to address it. This talk outlines the territory we are facing so that you can more easily identify narcissism in its many forms, and understand it humanely from the inside out while staying aware of its often deleterious outcomes. It offers a wide-ranging, comprehensive summary of sub-types you may encounter.  

Sections:

What does narcissism (really) look like? 

The internal world of the narcissist 

Transference and countertransference effects 

We discuss overt and covert narcissism and explore nearly 40 expressions of these. We consider emotion, cognition and self-identity. We examine the dimensional trait model found in Section III of the DSM-5-TR in some detail as a helpful model for understanding subtler narcissistic presentations. We examine the typical narcissistic 3-phase relational style of idealising, devaluing and hoovering for supply. Treatment recommendations are given.

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this talk, participants will be able to:

Beyond Narcissism: A handbook for practitioners and clients dealing with narcissistic abuse
An Introduction to Narcissism: The map is not the territory
Personality Disorders: Narcissistic & schizoid presentations
Having a relationship with a narcissist: How to help your clients become aware, protect themselves, and recover
Narcissism is on the rise and has many faces – empathic practitioners beware!
Rethinking Couples Therapy: Imago Therapy as a Relational Paradigm
Five Pathways to Parental Estrangement: Understanding How Estrangement Emerges, and Where Intervention Is Still Possible
Play therapy: anger, aggression and boundary setting
Psychotherapeutic Work in Middle Childhood