Psychodynamic Perspectives on Eating Disorders

About the Book

Stacksteder (1989) stated that there are people who experience “estrangement and alienation” between their psyche and soma. They may perceive the soma as persecutory, an embarrassment, and shameful. The soma may be trying to annihilate the psyche, or the psyche to control the soma; they are in a sadomasochistic relationship at war with each other. The self and body are seen as distant entities rather than a psychosomatic unity. Sacksteder says, “rather than being identified with their body, liking it, enjoying it, caring for it, nurturing and developing it, they hate it, and cruelly, unrelentingly attack it. They even starve it to death” (p. 38). This book supports the contention that, “When an infant lacks a healthy maternal representation for internalization and soothing purposes, the infant does not have the capacity to differentiate or regulate overwhelming affects or intense bodily discomforts. In addition, lack of consistent care and proper handling regarding all aspects of the baby’s body becomes another contributing factor in shaping body dysmorphia… The inability of the mother to provide adequate homeostatic regulation can greatly affect the developing psyche… When the child’s internalization of the maternal caring functioning is experienced as punitive and prohibiting, there is difficulty in accepting and tolerating one’s affects… Faulty maternal attunement in the early oral phase can affect the child’s ability to symbolize or put feelings into words. Thus, these patients present with a multitude of bodily symptoms that communicate and speak to their disturbed psychopathology.”

About the Author

Dr. Lane has been chief psychologist, coordinator of training, dean, and director of psychology at a number of New York psychological organizations, and consultant to a number of hospitals. He spent 4 years in military service in WWII as a psychologist and 6 years in the VA, and 5 years as Chief Psychologist of the Psychiatric Section of the Psychology Department at Kingsbridge (Bronx) VAH.

Dr. Lane has been an APA member since 1944 and was the first graduate of the Psychoanalytic Training Institute of the New York Freudian Society (1963), President of the Society for Psychoanalytic Training (1975-78,1980-82), Director of the Long Island Division of the New York Center for Psychoanalytic Training (1972-92), Treasurer of the New York Freudian Society, and a founding father of the Adelphi University Postdoctorate Psychoanalytic Program. Additionally, Dr. Lane was President of the Nassau County Psychological Association, President of the Clinical Division of NYSPA, served on the APA Council, and was recognized as a Distinguished Psychologist in 1984 by the National Academy of Practice.

Dr. Lane has published 3 books, has well over 100 publications and serves on the Editorial Board of 6 journals. He has received the Distinguished Writer Award from the Society for Psychoanalytic Training and the New York Center for Psychoanalytic Training for "Outstanding Publications Relevant to Psychoanalytic Theory and/or Practice."

Presently he lives in Ft. Lauderdale and works at Nova Southeastern University where he is Psychoanalytic Scholar in Residence, Program Director of the Intensive Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Center, and Coordinator of the Psychodynamic Concentration.