Psychoanalytic Reading Group: Aloneness and Connectedness

Course Schedule

Readings

The Collected Papers of Emmanuel Ghent (CP)
Essential Aloneness—Rome Lectures on DW Winnicott (EA)

January 9 First class

CP: Introduction, Afterword
EA: Introduction

January 23 Second class

CP: C. 1
EA: C. 1,2

February 6 Third class

CP: C. 1
EA: C. 1,2

February 20 Fourth class

CP: C. 2
EA: C. 3, 4, 5

March 20 Fifth class

CP: C. 2
EA: C. 3, 4, 5

April 3 Sixth class

CP: C. 3
EA: C. 6, 12, 13

May 1 Seventh class

CP: C. 3
EA: C. 6, 12, 13

May 15 Eighth class

CP: C. 4
EA: C. 7, 8, 9, 11

May 29 Ninth class

CP: C. 5
EA: C. 10, 14, 15

June 12 Tenth class

CP: C. 5
EA: C. 10, 14, 15

Course Description

In this course we will explore ideas and practice in psychoanalysis through the work of Donald Winnicott and Emmanuel Ghent. We will read Essential Aloneness—Rome Lectures on DW Winnicott (2023), by Christopher Bollas and The Collected Papers of Emmanuel Ghent (2018). In the Rome lectures Bollas addresses the question of how to apply Winnicott’s concepts such as aloneness, transitional object, true/false self, and playing and creativity in the clinical space. The papers of Emmanuel Ghent, one of the founders of relational psychoanalysis, address such topics as the mutuality of the psychoanalytic encounter, the notion of need, and submission and surrender. Both Winnicott and Ghent emphasize development and growth as well as loss and the fact that change is often painful. We will examine these themes through discussion of readings and cases with an eye to expanding participants’ understanding of psychoanalytic theory and clinical skill with patients.

Course Time and Location

10 meetings, every other week, starting Thursday, January 9, 2025 and ending Thursday, June 12, 2025.

Time: 11:45am to 1:15pm Eastern Standard Time.

Registration

Please register with Dr. Berkeljon by December 20, 2024. This course is open to psychodynamic clinicians around the world. Registration is limited to 10 participants.

Contact information: arjan@berkeljon.com; office number: (585) 371-8172

Instructor

Arjan Berkeljon has a doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Brigham Young University and is board certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) in Group Psychology. He obtained Master's degrees in Psychology and Philosophy from the University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, where he conducted research in developmental psychology. A former faculty member in the departments of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology at the University of Rochester, Dr. Berkeljon is currently in private practice where he provides supervision/consultation as well as psychoanalytic psychotherapy to individuals, couples and groups.