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.

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. Success or failure at coping with the tasks of this period can mean the difference between negotiating a transition and suffering a crisis. This talk will present core ideas about midlife as a developmental period drawing on the work of Erikson, with some brief clinical examples. Then we will watch and discuss several clips from a recent film, Logan, that illustrates some of these issues in dramatic form. 

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.