Home > Conference > Archives > 2005 Conference > Overview

2005 Conference Overview

The program for this 28th Annual International Conference on The Psychology of The Self explores how clinical momentum develops and positive change occurs. We are delighted to have as guest participants: Jessica Benjamin, Sidney Blatt, Frederic Busch, Evelyne Albrecht Schwaber, and Daniel Stern.

On Thursday, a daylong Pre-Conference allows participants to choose morning and afternoon sessions that approach the theme from different perspectives. Sidney Blatt and Frederic Busch will describe research on therapeutic change. Irene Harwood and Martin Livingston will explore clinical momentum during group and couples therapy in an all day session. George Hagman and Carol Press will lead a workshop on art, creativity, and self psychology. A master class lecture by Frank Lachmann on "The Other Side of Aggression" will be followed by a panel of distinguished self psychologists considering the use of aggression in propelling momentum. In the afternoon, master class supervisions will be led by Howard Bacal, Anna and Paul H. Ornstein, Rosemary Segalla, and Judith Teicholz. Participants may also choose a workshop on Listening "Reflections on Hypothesis and Evidence," led by Evelyne Albrecht Schwaber, or a workshop on history "The Therapist's Side of Change: From Racker to Intersubjectivity," led by Jessica Benjamin, Elizabeth Seward and Malcolm Slavin.

After a welcome reception on Thursday evening, the main meeting begins with two keynote lectures delivered by James Fosshage and Daniel Stern that will provide a broad theoretical background to the three clinical panels to follow. Each panel will utilize case material to illustrate different factors leading to developing clinical momentum. Panel one, on Friday morning, will focus on transference with Linda Marino and Marian Tolpin as presenters, Evelyne Albrecht Schwaber and Estelle Shane as discussants, and Jill Gardner as chair. Panel two, on Friday afternoon, will focus on relationship/enactment as basis to developing clinical momentum. The case will be presented by Gianni Nebbiosi, and discussed by Jacqueline Gotthold and Hazel Ipp with Ronald Bodinsky as chair. Panel three, on Saturday afternoon, highlights dramatic moments and improvisation as agents of change. Alan Kindler will offer the case illustration, Philip Ringstrom and Daniel Stern will be discussants, and Bernard Brickman, chair.

Following the presentation of panels one and two, the audience will join the discussion. Following panel three, ten small discussion groups will consider the keynote lectures and all three panels. One or two of the primary presenters will be present in each group.

Three paper and workshop sessions are scheduled, two on Saturday morning and one on Sunday morning.

The Kohut Memorial Lecture "Freud and Kohut: What Lasts, What Fades?" will be delivered by Joseph Lichtenberg and introduced by Ernest Wolf.

The conference will end Sunday morning with a Plenary Summation by the Program Co-Chairs, Frank Lachmann and Joseph Lichtenberg.

Target Audience

This conference is intended for psychoanalysts, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, psychiatric nurses, marriage and family counselors, professional counselors and clinical professional counselors. The conference is organized to facilitate maximum opportunity for questions, comments and dialogue between the audience and the presenters, allowing clinicians to engage in an extensive variety of topics relevant to the field of Self Psychology.

Educational Objectives

At the conclusion of this conference, participants will be able to:

1. Have a broad conception of many factors that contribute to developing clinical momentum.
2. Recognize self psychological perspectives on the processes of progress and change.
3. Develop a clinical picture of the exploration of transference in the course of intensive therapy.
4. Consider how the development and understanding of relationships and enactments contribute to clinical momentum.
5. Recognize the role of dramatic moments and improvisation in the movement toward positive change.
6. Appreciate the dyadic nature of change involving therapist and patient as both co-creators of change and subjective participants in the expanding awareness that propels clinical momentum.
7. Have a broader array of techniques to approach difficult patients.

Continuing Education

This program is presented by the International Association for Psychoanalytic Self Psychology and co-sponsored by the Institute of Contemporary Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis, Washington, DC, and The Institute of Contemporary Psychoanalysis, Los Angeles, CA.

Psychologists: The Institute of Contemporary Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Institute of Contemporary Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis maintains responsibility for the program and its content. Psychologists attending this conference may receive up to 23.5 continuing education credits. (Psychologists are responsible for reporting their own hours.)

Social Workers and MFTs: The Institute of Contemporary Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis is approved by the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners to offer Category I continuing education credit. Because the Institute of Contemporary Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis has received approval from the Maryland Board, CE credit hours awarded by the Institute of Contemporary Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis may be claimed by social workers licensed in Virginia and the District of Columbia. These continuing education credits meet the ANCC approval standard for nurses.

Full Attendance at each session is required for Psychologists and Social Workers to receive continuing education credit. We regret that partial credit cannot be awarded.

Continuing Education Credits Available:
Pre-Conference = 3 Credits (Per Session)
Main Conference = 16.5 Credits
Kohut Memorial Lecture = 1 Credit (Purchase of luncheon ticket required to receive credit.)

Physicians: The Institute of Contemporary Psychoanalysis is accredited be the California Medical Association to provide continuing medical education for physicians. The Institute of Contemporary Psychoanalysis takes responsibility for the content, quality and scientific integrity of this CME activity.

The Institute of Contemporary Psychoanalysis designates this educational activity for a maximum of 23.5 hours of Category 1 credit toward the California Medical Association's Certification in Continuing Medical Education and the AMA Physician's Recognition Award. Each physician should claim only those hours of credit that he/she actually spent in the educational activity.