Rapprochement

The rapprochement subphase of ego development in childhood begins when the child becomes conceptually aware of his separateness from his mother. This coincides with the deflation of his grandeur and omnipotence. He becomes actually aware of his vulnerability and dependence. One possible recourse for him is to defend against the perception of vulnerability and dependency by continuing to believe in his omnipotence. In this case he develops a self that is based on this defensive sense of grandiosity, an inflated sense of self that covers up emptiness and deficiency. The result is what is called the narcissistic personality. Or he can defend himself by withdrawing inside, and isolating himself from the difficulties of object relations. He becomes detached, and does not feel needy, vulnerable or dependent. By cutting himself off from the world of love objects, he cuts himself off from his own inner resources. This results in the formation of a schizoid character. (The Pearl Beyond Price, pg 286)

Rapprochement Conflict

This rapprochement conflict is usually reenacted in our work, after the Personal Essence is experienced in a sustained manner... We find that every individual, regardless of how integrated he is on the ego level, has an unconscious rapprochement conflict. (The Pearl Beyond Price, pg 287)

The resolution of rapprochement on the Being level indicates the simultaneous capacity for both inner regulation and external functioning, which is, obviously, a balanced, efficient and mature capacity for adaptation, and hence, growth. (The Pearl Beyond Price, pg 293)