Echoism in Research & Theory
A growing body of clinical, academic, and cultural engagement
Since our 2019 collaboration with psychotherapist and author Donna Savery, the concept of Echoism has grown into a resonant framework — one that speaks not only to those impacted by narcissistic abuse, but also to clinicians, academics, and cultural thinkers.
What began as a therapeutic and theoretical framework has since evolved into a wider conversation — one that now spans psychotherapy journals, university seminars, public events, and clinical training.
Academic & Clinical Recognition
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British Journal of Psychotherapy
Peer-reviewed review of Echoism: The Silenced Response to Narcissism (2019) by Dr. Deborah Birkett, published on PEP-Web -
Oxford University
Donna Savery presented Echoism at the Interdisciplinary Seminars in Psychoanalysis (St John’s College, 2019) -
Freud Museum London
Public event On Echoism and Narcissism (2019), part of the Freud, Dali and the Metamorphosis of Narcissus exhibition -
Inner Circle Seminar
Full-day seminar hosted by Anthony Stadlen (2020), exploring Echoism through existential and psychoanalytic lenses -
City, University of London
Academic review of Echoism: The Silenced Response to Narcissism published in Ology: Reviews in Applied Sciences (2021) by Ava Green Read the full review (PDF)
Freely available for educational and not-for-profit use under City Research Online’s open access policy.
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Society for Existential Analysis
Clinical seminar on the Echoistic-Narcissistic Complex (2021) -
ResearchGate
Academic listing of the book, increasing scholarly discoverability and citation potential
Why This Matters
These recognitions reflect a growing interest in Echoism — not just as a clinical term, but as a lens for understanding relational trauma, emotional silencing, and the enduring impact of narcissistic relationships and abuse.
In the myth, Echo is cursed to repeat the words of others — her voice reduced to an afterthought in Narcissus’s story. And in much of the psychological literature, that pattern has continued: the narcissist is studied, named, pathologized — while Echo remains unnamed, unheard.
This work is about restoring subjectivity. About giving voice to the one who was silenced. About recognising Echo not as a symptom, but as a subject — someone whose experience of narcissistic abuse deserves language, care, and legitimacy.
Our Commitment
The Echo Society is proud to have helped amplify this work — and remains deeply committed to those impacted by narcissistic abuse. We believe that theory and lived experience must speak to each other — and that Echoism offers a language through which both can be heard.
Read more about the book and our collaboration →
