The therapy of ego boundary disorders focusing special attention on structural empathy

ABSTRACT The ability to fully comprehend the mental experience of those suffering from psychotic symptoms can sometimes elude the empathic capabilities of therapists. Even the most experienced psychiatrists, psychologists and psychotherapists have difficulty in dealing with, and understanding the strangeness of the symptoms and their full significance to those affected. Particularly the phenomenon of ego boundary disorders is difficult to compare with other comprehensible experiences due to the extreme level of alienation. Here, an attempt will be made to understand the disorders using psychological and philosophical models, and to reveal the problem in a way that makes a beneficial psychotherapeutic relationship possible. The empathic approach should not restrict itself to just understanding meanings, but must take into account the structural changes. An assessment oriented only on the surface of the symptoms runs the risk of disregarding the full scope of the disorder of those affected. It takes quite fundamental considerations to internal human structures and the concept of empathy in order to cope with the extent of the disorder.