By Allison Katz (USA) and André Sassenfeld (Chile)
Co-chairs of the Webinar Committee

2015 has been a rich and productive year for the IARPP webinar committee. We have been fortunate enough to have esteemed guest faculty leading each event, such as Paul Wachtel (USA), Dan Shaw (USA), and Jon Sletvold (Norway), among others. Each discussion has been challenging and lively and has included participants from all over the world.

The year ended with recent Gradiva winner Jon Sletvold’s excellent seminar based on his recently published, award winning book, The Embodied Analyst. Sletvold and moderator André Sassenfeld (Chile) covered a variety of themes, including the place and role of meditation in contemporary analytic practice, the function of somatic countertransference, and the powerful relationship between shame and the body. The discussion also explored the bodily nuances that are often overlooked in analytic practice, including posture, gesture, and tone of voice in both patient and analyst.

2016 will offer an assortment of fascinating programs with world-renowned guest faculty. In January, Irwin Hoffman (USA) will lead a webinar for candidates or new analysts who have completed their training within the past five years. The title of this webinar is “Dialectical Constructivism,” and will take place from January 11-31, 2016. This webinar will be moderated by John Skrovan (USA). Here is a brief excerpt from Hoffman’s description of the webinar:

“In this webinar, we will study the essential elements of a perspective on the psychoanalytic process that I’ve called ‘dialectical constructivism.’  Among the features of this viewpoint to be highlighted will be its integration of existential and more traditional psychoanalytic ideas, although even the ‘traditional’ is understood largely within a ‘relational’ paradigm.  Experience is ambiguous and therefore fertile ground for multiple plausible interpretations and a wellspring for many value-laden choices.”

Registration for this program will begin in late December. For more information about this webinar click here. [Click here for more information about Candidates’ Webinar]

Following the candidates’ webinar, Bill Cornell (USA) will be leading a seminar based on his terrific book, Somatic Experience in Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy. The program will cover multiple themes including the theories of Wilhelm Reich, sensate experience, and what actually happens in the room between two bodies. The seminar will take place from February 1-15, 2016, and will be moderated by Eyal Rozmarin (USA).  

For our Italian-speaking members, we will offer a two-week seminar in Italian with guest faculty Massimo Ammaniti (Italy). The topic of this webinar will be attachment and intersubjectivity. The program will be moderated by Carmine Schettini (Italy) and will take place from February 15-29, 2016. Further details for both February programs will be available online in January.

We are still developing several other events for the remainder of 2016. We hope our members take advantage of the opportunity to participate in our webinars and to dialogue with colleagues from all over the world.

For any questions about these upcoming events, please contact:

Allison Katz, LCSW
Email Allison Katz

André Sassenfeld, MA
Email André Sassenfeld