The Glendon Association

Firestone, R.W. (1994). A new perspective on the Oedipal complex: A voice therapy session. Psychotherapy,31(2),342-351.

This article reports the case of a young man who experienced suicidal impulses in competitive situations involving both relationship and career issues. The clinical data illustrate the concept of “identification with the aggressor” in relation to a father’s angry, rivalrous feelings toward his son. The author discusses dynamics operating in families where immature or insecure parents compete with and show resentment toward the child of the same sex and direct overt or covert aggression toward him/her. Later, the internalized aggression emerges as a negative thought process when the individual strives to achieve personal or vocational goals. An exploration of the theoretical implications of the case contributes to an understanding of unresolved Oedipal issues that can affect young people at risk for suicide, particularly high-achieving adolescents who seemingly have everything to live for.