Opinion: I used applied psychoanalysis to assess President Trump. The diagnosis is frightening

Much has been written by U.S. commentators, pundits, and even mental health professionals about Donald Trump’s mind and psyche during the 2016 campaign for the presidency and his first 20 months in office. Little of it was grounded in applied psychoanalysis, the practice of using psychoanalytical principles to understand the actions, motivations, and limitations of historical figures.

To fill that gap, I wrote “Trump on the Couch,” a task made easier by the revealing historical record on his family and early years and his own published record, from the books he has authored over the years to his more recent, incomparable Twitter output. These sources provide an unprecedented look at how the unconscious patterns Trump developed in childhood influence his words and deeds in adulthood.

A  a morning talk show on the Trump-friendly Fox News network, reveals the depth and breadth