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Forum for Self Psychology (FSP) is a Norwegian forum for intellectual and clinical debate from the perspective of self psychology. It is not a training institution, but arranges seminars, meetings and courses on self psychology. Invited speakers have included:

- Paul and Anna Ornstein (1992 and 1995)
- Joseph Lichtenberg (1995)
- Howard Baker (1996)
- Robert Stolorow (1996)
- James Fossage (1998)
- Victor Schermer (2006)

A series of local seminars and meetings have been run by Norwegian professionals.

Forum for Self Psychology has a special interest in group analysis, affect theory and hermeneutics. Members of the Forum have published several books on clinical and aplied self psychology (in Norwegian): From narcissism to self psychology. An introduction to the work of Heinz Kohut, by Sigmund Karterud MD, PhD (Ad Notam Gyldendal A/S 1995); Self psycholgy after Kohut, edited by Sigmund Karterud and Jon Monsen (Ad Notam Gyldendal A/S 1997); Group analysis and psychodynamic group psychotherapy, by Sigmund Karterud (Pax, 1999); From hermeneutics to psychoanalysis, by Arne Johan Vetlesen and Erik Stänicke (Ad Notam Gyldendal, 1999); Personality disorders: Comprehension, evaluation and combined group therapy, edited by Sigmund Karterud, Øyvind Urnes and Geir Pedersen (Pax, 2001); Mysteries of the Self, by Christian Schlüter and Sigmund Karterud (Pax, 2002).

In May 2004 FSP hosted the Third European Conference on Self Psychology:
Contemporary Self Psychology in Europe

In March 2005 Forum for Self Psychology was reorganized, from being a rather closed group of devoted professionals, to a membership organization. Currently (May 2006) FSP has approximately 100 members. The regular meetings gather approximately 40-60 persons and the themes have been:

• Sigmund Karterud: Developmental trends in self psychology
• Øyvind Urnes: On the corporeal self
• Video: Heinz Kohut: On empathy
• Øyvind Urnes and Sigmund Karterud: Present moments, mirroring and attack on linking. Reflections on contributions from Daniel Stern, Heinz Kohut and Wilfred Bion to psychoanalytic psychotherapy.
• Ragnvald Kalleberg: Speech acts, communicational ethics and the power of the better arguments (Habermas). Connections to self psychological theory?
• Paul Møller: When the self falls apart
• Finn Skårderud: Vidkun Quisling and the staggering grandiose self
• Victor Schermer: Kohut meets Bion. What would they say to each other?
• Victor Schermer: Treatment of addiction. Self psychological and group psychotherapeutic perspectives

In September 2009 the membership meeting of Forum for Self Psychology voted to close down the forum. Part of the activities will be continued by a Forum for Psychoanalytic Dialogues.

 

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Correspondence address: sigmund.karterud@medisin.uio.no