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Scholar's Course Description

 

First Year

 

Fall Semester

Freud I

This course begins with an historical review of the context in which Freud worked and considers his successive explanations of symptom formation by the seduction hypothesis and by the conflict between unconscious libidinal wishes an ddefensive reactions of the ego.  It follws his explication of the pleasure and reality priniciples.  It examines Frued's model of the mind and of dreaming outlined in The Interpretaion of Dreams, his recommendaitons for the conduct of psychoanalytic treatment and his case studies.  The course ends with an appraisal of the strains in the topographic model of conflict.

Clinical Psychoanalysis I

This course presents clinical psychoanalytic material form published and unpublished sources enabling the student to see the data from which theory is derived and to see how analysts think about and conduct an analysis.  The course grounds the analytic concepts from the Theory I course in the immediate, experiential encounter in the consulting room.  Drive, defense, the repetition of unconscious fantasy constellations, transference, counterr-transference and interpretation are examined as they appear in the associations in the treatment hour.  The course includes presentations of child and adult analysis.

 

Winter Semester

Freud II

This course countinues with the jprogreession of Freud's thinking as he develops the concenpts of narcissism and identification and examines their role in mourning.  It follows his revision of the theory of instinctual conflict as the structural theory eveolved to explain symptoms as arising from tensions between the id, ego and superego.  It reviews his changing ideas about the nature of aggression and anxiety which culminate in the formulation of the life and death instincts.  It examines the implications of these changes for his ideas about repression, the unconscious and trauma and considers his later speculations about man's search for pleasure and the roles of aggression, morality, religion and rationality in a civilized society.

Clinical Psychoanalysis II

This course continues the presentation of clinical material form the first semester.  Students can observe the evolution of a 'psychoanalytic process' as the analysis progresses.  This involves regression, resistance, the development and resolution of hte transference neurosis and the continual multifaceted interplay between the analyst and analysand as they invent and reinvent their working relationship.  The nature of the therapeutic actions of psychoanalysis is considered.

 

Second Year

Contemporary Psychoanalytic Theory I

This course begins iwth a segment on psychoanalytic theories of development which focuses on the contributions of child and adolescent psychoanalysts.  It contnues during this and the following semester with a review of central contemporary responses to Freud's work.  In this semester the course considers the contributions of ego psychology and self psychology to analytic thinking and practice.

Presentations of Participants' Scholarly Work I

The workshop format of the course provides participants the opportunity to present their ideas in its current state of development, whether this is preliminary or more advanced.  Participants begin to formulate and refine the application of psychoanalytic concepts to their ideas.  The faculty and participants offer reactions and suggestions.

Contemporary Psychoanalytic Theory II

The course examines the perspectives of the object relational, interpersonal and relational traditions in analysis.  A final segment of the course focuses on topics chosen by the participants, allowing greater attention to the participants' interests.  Topics might include areas such as trauma, gender and female psychology, dreams or the cultural/political implications of Freud's theories.

Presentations of Particpants' Scholarly Work II

The workshop course continues the presentations begun in the first trimester.  Participants have a second opportunity to discuss the application of psychoanalytic ideas to their work and develop their projects.