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Mindsharing: Transitional Objects and Selfobjects as Complementary Functions

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Abstract

This paper introduces the concept of “mindsharing” as an overarching construct that encompasses the familiar clinical phenomena described by the concepts transitional objects, auxiliary ego functions, selfobject functions, intersubjective sharing, and others. The common denominator in each of these is that one person uses others psychological functions for the purposes of maintaining self-cohesion. A case is presented to illustrate some of the implications of this position.

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Correspondence to Joseph Palombo.

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A different version of this paper was presented at the 10th National Conference of the National Membership Committee on Psychoanalysis in Clinical Social Work, Chicago, March 2007.

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Palombo, J. Mindsharing: Transitional Objects and Selfobjects as Complementary Functions. Clin Soc Work J 36, 143–154 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10615-007-0139-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10615-007-0139-8

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