"Throughout the life cycle, individuals maintain illusions that sustain them. In the course of normal development and in psychotherapy, many of these illusions about oneself and others are gradually dismantled. Mourning the loss of core illusions and coping with the impact of disillusionment are critical issues as treatment progresses. Some patients weather the inevitable loss of their illusions smoothly, but for others the relinquishment of a needed illusion can be traumatic, engender extreme anxiety, and permeate the core of the psychotherapeutic relationship. In this book, Stanley H. Teitelbaum explores this therapeutic issue in depth from a developmental, theoretical, and clinical perspective and emphasizes its particular importance in the treatment of depressed and narcissistic patients. Rich case material illustrates how the therapist can effectively address the illusions and manage the resulting disillusionment."--BOOK JACKET.