Echoism: The Silenced Response to Narcissism

by Donna Savery

This book introduces the importance of Echoism as both a clinical entity and a theoretical concept. In Ovid's version of the myth of Echo and Narcissus, the character Echo receives equal attention to her counterpart, Narcissus, yet she has been completely marginalised in the pervasive psychoanalytic literatures on narcissism.In the myth, Echo is subjected to a curse: she must remain silent except for her right to repeat the words of another; so in order to have a voice she must seek out an 'other'. Relying upon Narcissus for her very existence she has, ironically, in the psychoanalytical literature, also become both the literal and symbolic embodiment of the marginalised female voice. This book introduces her as a subject in her own right, countering her current status as the co-dependent object of the narcissist, in an attempt to restore her existence and have her voice heard.The author draws upon her work with patients who have experienced relationships with narcissistic partners or parents, and have developed a particular configuration of object relations and ways of relating to which she gives the term Echoism. She uses psychoanalytic theory and existential philosophical ideas to underpin her formulations and inform her clinical thinking.

Kindle Edition

Published November 3, 2017

Reviews

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up this book thinking it would help me understand my echoism. While it does offer some insight and many clinical definitions, it's a work written for therapists, not for patients or self-help seekers like me. It gives insights and examples of what an echoist needs such as helping them disconnect from a narcissist or object and live for themselves, but not suggestions for how an echoist might actually do that or how they would find their own voice. I would have liked examples of how this therapist helped an echoist speak for herself or stand on her own, instead of examples of what echoists are like in therapy and how not to get pulled into their drama or resent them for depending on therapist.

The best part of this book was the definition of echoism and the re-telling of the story of narcissist and echo and hera. Echoism is defined as a form of depression as a result of interaction with a narcissist. It's the silent response that results in a loss of a sense self or your own voice separate from the narcissistic object.

The author didn't compare echoism to narcissism or borderline personality disorder, only mentioned the similarities or attraction of one to the other. No discussion of co-dependency or other disorders that might be involved.

This book may give insights to therapists about working with echoists, but it didn't help me as an echoist and I hope any therapist I see has more heart and insight into helping an echoist than was presented here. An echoist was robbed of their right to speak, to be a person separate from a narcissist, to have their own perspective and needs, and to own those needs and opinions, and set strong boundaries against the needy, gaslighting onslaught of a narcissistic personality. An echoist needs support to stand up, to be themselves. I think that there are better resources for echoists than this book, though none exist specifically for echoists.

[Renate Eveline · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent fit-for-purpose publication, as you might expect from Routhledge, on a subject that deserves far more attention...

Don't expect anything "5 clear steps self-help-oriented" here. For people not steeped in therapeutic and existential jargon, this is a challenging book. Although I could only understand about half of it, this book has really contributed to my understanding of the subject.

Of the other half, I can appreciate that it is well written but - given that the book is clearly aimed at therapists and academics - beyond the grasp of the layman.

[E. Farris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clearly too academic and full of therapeutic jargon way beyond my capacity to understand much of it. But there were many things to ponder. The vignettes of case histories were especially helpful for this layperson. So the book was well worth my time.
Thanks.

[Anne-Marie Woloszyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

interesting read

Fascinating read. I learned a lot about this topic. The author made it relevant and pertinent to me. I enjoyed reading it.

[Heather D · Rating 3 out of 5]

very academic