Primitive Defense Mechanisms Explained: Sexualization, Dissociation, Acting Out, Withdrawal, Denial, Splitting, Omnipotent Control, Projective Identification
About this episode
Dr. David Puder and his cohort explore primitive defense mechanisms and their implications in mental health.
In this episode, Dr. David Puder and his talented Cohort deliver a comprehensive exploration of primitive defense mechanisms, which are the earliest, most fundamental ways the mind protects us from overwhelming anxiety, trauma, and threats to the self. Drawing directly from Nancy McWilliams' Psychoanalytic Diagnosis, they break down key primitive defenses. You'll hear clear definitions, developmental origins, clinical presentations, countertransference implications, literary examples, and real-world clinical vignettes, plus a rich group discussion on when these defenses are adaptive versus maladaptive. By listening to this episode, you can earn 2.5 Psychiatry CME Credits. Link to blog Link to YouTube video
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