Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Presenters: Eve Caligor, MD and Seth Aronson, PsyD

Summary:  Dr. Caligor will discuss empirical developments in the understanding of psychopathology and psychotherapy outcome that inform the development of contemporary models of psychoanalytic psychotherapy. This presentation will suggest various ways that psychodynamic clinicians can make use of evidence-based principles and recent developments in psychotherapy research in their psychotherapeutic practice. Central elements to consider include completing a comprehensive assessment and sharing a diagnostic impression with the patient, explicit discussion of treatment goals and frame before treatment formally begins, tailoring the treatment to severity of patient pathology, and focusing the exploratory process on the here-and-now with the objective of promoting reflective capacities within the patient. Dr. Aronson makes the case that psychoanalysis is “The App Every Smart Clinician Should Have.”  He will describe the application of psychoanalytic principles to work in the public sector. Clinical examples will illustrate the importance of teaching psychoanalysis for its utilization in the psychotherapies. In demonstrating application of psychoanalytic concepts to work with a child and an adolescent, Dr. Aronson will show how critical it is that we analysts teach what we hold to be true to mental health professionals, showing how alive and meaningful such concepts are to so many fields.

Eve Caligor M.D. is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. She is Director of the Psychotherapy Division, and Training and Supervising Analyst at the Columbia University Center for Psychoanalytic Training and Research. She serves as vice-president of the International Society for Transference-Focused Psychotherapy.

Seth Aronson, Psy.D. is Director of Training, Training and Supervising Analyst and Fellow at the William Alanson White Institute. At Long Island University, he teaches childhood psychopathology and child/adolescent psychotherapy. Selected papers include “Balancing the fiddlers on my roof: on wearing a yarmulke and working as a psychoanalyst”; “Only connect; the mutuality of attachment “; “Through a glass clearly”; “Analytic supervision; all work and no play?” and with Craig Haen, is co-editor of the Handbook of Child and Adolescent Group Therapy.

This event was designed by the APM and the Columbia University Center for Training and Research to welcome the graduates of the Psychotherapy Division to the monthly Scientific Meeting program.

After attending this session, participants should be able to:

1. Describe technical strategies that can effectively be employed in psychodynamic therapy based on psychotherapy outcome research.
2. Explain why the teaching of psychoanalytic principles is necessary to non-analyst mental health professionals

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of American Psychoanalytic Association and Association for Psychoanalytic Medicine. The American Psychoanalytic Association is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.