"Reflections from Behind the Couch: Early, Middle, and Later Years
Psychoanalysis has famously been called the "impossible profession." This can stir fear in all of us, in terms of feeling comfortable, or even just adequate, in the face of ambivalence, paradox, madness even. How do we proceed? How do we dare to grow as professionals amidst such struggles - our patients and our own? What kind of learning takes place after the formal training period has ended?
Three analysts take a personal look at their relationships to psychoanalysis from different points in their careers: a candidate in training, a mid-career professional, and a training analyst looking back on decades of work. Through individual reflection, they consider multiple facets of analytic identity and experience, including changes in technique and focus as well as engagement with patients, theory, colleagues, and institutes over time.
Charlotte Malkmus, MA is a psychotherapist in private practice in Tacoma, Washington, where she sees adults and adolescents. She is also a Clinical Associate at SPSI in the adult psychoanalytic training program.
Maureen Pendras, MSW is a psychoanalyst in private practice in Madison Valley. She teaches in the SPSI core training and psychotherapy programs, as well as Wellspring Family Services.
Ron Furedy, MD is a Training and Supervising Psychoanalyst on the faculty of SPSI. He is currently co-chair of the SPSI Training Analyst Committee.
Educational Objectives:
- Participants will explore how learning proceeds at various points in the life cycle of a psychoanalyst.
- Participants will develop a framework for understanding and dealing with career issues occurring at different points in the life cycle of a psychoanalyst.
