Stop in and say hello.

Ms. K was initially ambivalent about psychotherapy which was mandated by her job after she had a dramatic reaction to a minimal disagreement. Asked by her supervisor to leave work for the day she did not return for 3 months. In therapy she gradually, for the first time in her life, explored trusting “the other”.

Ms. K described herself as an isolated girl who “would not speak” due to her big bucked teeth and a bigger lonely inner world. She slowly unsealed the long lasting silence of her multiple traumas. Traumas that ranged from negligence to sexual abuse. Traumas that built a wall of deep defenses around her “self” to protect a little Ms. K who was still sitting alone in her big scary world. Defenses that slowly transformed from a borderline organization towards a more neurotic level as over time she found safety in the sanctuary of psychotherapy. And ultimately let her see the world surrounding her as rather more gray, and brighter than black and white.

The impact of socio-political and cultural factors on the analytic process is a topic that commands increasing attention and is an area of study for many psychoanalysts. In this paper, an in-depth examination of these factors as they appear in the analysis will be examined and commented upon. The shaping of these factors on both the transference, countertransference as well as the analytic process will be explored. The author will explore how contemporary political and social processes affected her mind as well as the unfolding of an analytic process in the consulting room.

Kathleen Lyon, MD is a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst practicing in NYC since 1991, and a student and practitioner of Buddhism for more than 20 years. A training analyst at PANY, she has taught courses on theory and technique in the psychoanalytic program there, and has taught and supervised at the NYU Medical Center Psychiatry residency program. She has also taught mindfulness meditation and compassion cultivation meditation programs in NYC and elsewhere. She is a member of the Contemplative Studies Project in NYC.

Meditation, Psychotherapy, and Spiritual Bypassing:
In recent years, mindfulness has become a popular and useful therapeutic tool. Distinctions between secular mindfulness and meditation as a part of a spiritual practice have become blurred, leading to inappropriate use of meditation as a substitute for necessary psychological growth. This “spiritual bypassing”, as it has been termed, can be challenging recognize and work with in therapy.
A young adult with a history of early deprivation presented for therapy after disappointing personal and academic setbacks. Through treatment, it was discovered this patient used spiritual bypassing to defend against social contact and achievement of appropriate young adult life goals. Join us for a discussion of how spiritual bypassing, a defensive use of spiritual pursuit/identity to avoid psychological difficulties or growth, manifests in this case, various other ways it can present, and how it can be approached and worked with in treatment.

Leslie Cummins, DSW

TBD

Chap Attwell, MD

Individual psychoanalysis offers a host of pitfalls and opportunities for psychological growth through the use and analysis of transference, unconscious fantasy, dream analysis, interpretation, and a strong working alliance. Few candidates in training know that group psychoanalysis offers unique windows into the understanding and treatment of the pre-Oedipal character, early life trauma, addiction disorders, and other difficult-to-formulate, unconscious, persistent struggles.

In this 90 minute offering, Dr. Attwell will introduce the class to the didactic similarities and differences between individual and group psychoanalysis as well as how they can work in effective tandem. He will then run a 30 minute experiential group to illustrate the key principles in a here-and-now focus on growth of the interpersonal ego and meaningful affective communication. In closing, the class will wrestle to link the didactic and experiential portions of the class to illuminate future directions of learning.

Jason Wheeler, PhD is on the faculty of PANY and teaches on Freud and sexuality and gender in the Psychotherapy and Psychoanalytic programs. He is also active in writing and editing and is a member of the editorial board of The Psychoanalytic Quarterly.

Midlife, the period that spans the "old age of youth" and the "youth of old age," brings new challenges as well as amplifying old conflicts and deficits. This presentation integrates relevant theoretical ideas with cultural and clinical examples of midlife issues. Success or failure at coping with the tasks of this period can mean the difference between negotiating a transition and suffering a crisis.

It can be daunting for clinicians who work primarily with individuals to conduct therapy sessions with couples. Part of the challenge is shifting the focus of the clinical work from the dynamic mind of the individual to the dynamic created by the couple. In this presentation, we will review concepts from both psychoanalytic and systemic perspectives to better understand that shift, and to help clinicians gain confidence in their work with couples.