This study group will read and discuss concepts from Ana-Maria Rizzuto, MD’s, seminal book on the development of God images in human psychology. We will also read and discuss two of her more contemporary papers on the psychodynamics of a God representation and the sacred in relation to self and others in analytic and cultural spaces. From the book: Utilizing both clinical material based on the life histories of twenty patients and theoretical insights from the works of Freud, Erikson, Fairbairn, and Winnicott, Ana-Maria Rizzuto examines the origin, development, and use of our God images. Whereas Freud postulated that belief in God is based on a child’s idea of its father, Rizzuto argues that the God representation draws from a variety of sources and is a major element in the fabric of one’s view of self, others, and the world. Rizzuto is a training and supervising analyst at the Psychoanalytic Institute of New England, East (PINE).

4 Wednesdays, October 5, 19, November 2, 16, 7:30–9 pm

No Fee