Ilene Philipson, co-chair, IARPP web seminars
After an enormously successful candidates’ webinar with Donnel Stern in January, our web seminar series continues in February with Barry Magid and Estelle Shane presenting on What Self Psychology and Relationality Can Learn From Each Other.
Based on an original paper they have co-authored for this seminar, Magid and Shane assert that self psychology should not be seen historically as a precursor to relational theory but rather as a fully separate relational (and intersubjective) model of mind and of therapeutic action. They wish to argue against the view, present in some circles, that holds that contemporary relationality has nothing more to learn from self psychology. Instead they paint a picture of two ever-changing, mutually influencing perspectives, wherein self psychology is recognized as being deeper and richer than is often understood.
The webinar began February 24th and will conclude on March 9th, it is being moderated by Roberto D’Angelo, a psychiatrist and psychoanalytic candidate practicing in Sydney, Australia.
From March 24th to April 9th, we will be hosting an IARPP cyber book celebration for Steven Kuchuck’s new edited book, Clinical Implications of the Psychoanalyst’s Life Experience: When the Personal Becomes Professional (Routledge: 2014). (read the eNews interview with Steven Kuchuck here)
Through examining the ways in which clinicians’ personal life stories affect the tenor of the therapist’s presence in the consulting room, participants in this seminar will have an opportunity to focus on the ways in which our life experiences can affect clinical choices. Difficulties in understanding how patients experience us that arise when the analyst’s subjectivity becomes bracketed, or even dissociated, will be examined, as will questions of therapist temperament, conflicts around being seen, and struggles with self-care.
Joining Steve in leading this webinar will be some of the contributors to his book: Galit Atlas, Sally Bjorklund, Hillary Grill, Irwin Hirsch, and Joyce Slochower. Rachel Sopher will be moderating.
I hope to “see” many of you in both of these webinars as I think each of these will offer important contributions to our field.
