“Dressing Up a Ken Doll”

Abstract

The authors present and discuss the case of a young gay man presenting for psychotherapy with anxiety and difficulty sustaining intimate relationships. Issues of identity, particularly gay identity and internalized homophobia, the subjectivity of the patient and psychotherapist, and the concept of “false self” are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• psychotherapy
• psychodynamic
• gay man
• identity
• homophobia
• subjectivity
• false self
• Winnicott