Why does ego psychology distance itself from the Freudian work? An analysis of Ernst Kris’ article against Freud’s work in light of the Lacanian reading

Abstract

Ego Psychology is a North-American re-reading of psychoanalysis and had Ernst Kris - a man who was close to Freud - as one of its founders. Despite using Freudian texts to establish its foundations, Ego Psychology distances itself from Freud’s psychoanalysis. This study demonstrates how this occurs by briefly discussing who Ernst Kris was and the existing criticisms of Ego Psychology. Secondly, it analyzes Ernst Kris’s article “Ego Psychology and Interpretation in Psychoanalytic Therapy” against Freud’s theory, to finally present Lacan’s critique, which refers to issues related to the ethics of psychoanalysis and the analyst’s role in directing treatment.

Keywords:
ego psychology; Ernst Kris; psychoanalysis; Freud; Lacan