In fourteen years of practice, study, and teaching in the field of mental health, Joe Sawyer has learned to apply many different lenses to understand the human psyche and its motivations. In this class, he shares the lens he has found most comprehensive and clinically generative: the lens of Narcissism.
This is a deep dive into the powerful realm of self-centeredness. Through a psychodynamic lens, we will explore the siren call of Narcissism and the impact of being under its thrall — the inflated "God" position and the deflated "Worm" position that narcissism moves between. This pull toward narcissism is an inherent human proclivity, often sitting at the core of pathology, and it shows up not only in interpersonal life but in how we relate to race, sexuality, and culture as well.
This six week course invites you to recognize the narcissistic currents alive in all of us: the function they serve, the wounds they defend, and why they are so dangerous — both to the people who carry them and the people around them. Joe will guide participants through theory grounded in clinical and personal examples, alongside therapeutic techniques for working with narcissism in the room.
Through taking this course, participants will be able to:
Define and differentiate the God/inflated and Worm/deflated narcissistic positions, and identify how each organizes affect, behavior, and relational stance.
Identify narcissistic currents in themselves and in their clients, including how these currents surface in interpersonal dynamics and in broader social contexts such as race, sexuality, and culture.
Articulate the psychodynamic cause and function of Narcissism, including its role as a defense structure and its relationship to core pathology.
Apply clinical techniques for working with and through narcissism in session, supporting clients toward greater self-awareness and relational freedom.
Note: if you took the prior offering of A Dash of Madness, some of this material will be familiar, but this class is significantly more expansive in scope and depth, building out the theoretical and clinical terrain in far greater detail.
Container
This course is a hybrid offering meeting over six Fridays (October 16-November 20) from 3:00-5:00pm.
We will gather in person at Shelterwood’s home base in Pioneer Square.
A virtual option is available via Zoom.
Exchange
$400 includes 6 sessions and 12 CEUs
Shelterwood Collective member rate is $360
For any questions or to explore sliding scale options, feel free to email joesawyercounseling@gmail.com.
Authorization
Participation includes 12 continuing education units. These CEUs are authorized and approved by the NASW Washington State Chapter. Our provider #1975-507. Licensed social workers, marriage and family therapists, and mental health counselors are eligible.
Joe Sawyer
Psychotherapist
(he/him)
Joe Sawyer is a psychotherapist with fourteen years of experience in private practice, working with a diverse population including teens, adults, and couples. He draws upon a variety of different theories and approaches in his work, all centered around relieving the client of unconscious distortions which allows them to better attune to reality and engage their life with freedom and creativity. He is particularly passionate about exploring narcissism, and brings that depth of clinical and personal inquiry into his teaching, offering participants both rigorous theory and grounded, applicable technique.