106: Technique II: Basic Concepts and Beginning Phase
Instructors
Carmela Perri, Ph.D.
Shulamit Sandler, Psy.D.
March 5 – May 14, 2025
Wednesdays, 7:00 – 8:20 pm
Course Description
This course helps prepare students for the opening phase of their first analytic case. It aims to develop a solid grasp of the essential principles of psychoanalytic technique. Comparison with psychodynamic psychotherapy is made throughout, so that students can refine their understanding of the similarities and differences between the modalities. Technical literature from Freud to the present will be reviewed, with an emphasis on clinical papers about basic technique. Topics to be considered include: Transference, Countertransference, The Analytic Instrument, Abstinence vs. Disclosure. Clinical case material from the instructor and the students from both analysis and psychotherapy will be discussed.
Course Objectives
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. identify and respond to transference and countertransference manifestations;
2. establish the analytic frame, interpret patient material;
3. treat patients in clinical situations such as acting out, conversion to analysis, and need for psychopharmacological medication.
Evaluation Method
Each student’s participation in class discussion and his or her demonstration of understanding of the course objectives and reading material is assessed in a written evaluation by the instructor(s).
These articles are protected under relevant copyright regulations. They are available in the New York Psychoanalytic Society & Institute Electronic Reserve for your convenience, and for your personal use.
READINGS NOT YET CONFIRMED.
I. Beginning the Analysis: Setting up the Analytic Situation
CLASS 1: January 8, 2024
REQUIRED READINGS
Freud, S. (1912). Recommendations to Physicians Practicing Analysis. (S.E.) Volume 12: pp 111-120.
Freud, S. (1913). On Beginning Treatment (S.E.) Volume 12: pp 121-144.
Ogden, T.H. (1992). Comments on Transference and Countertransference in the Initial Analytic Meeting. Psychoanal. Inq., 12(2):225-247.
SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS
Arlow, J. & Brenner, C. (1966). The Psychoanalytic Situation. Psychoanalysis in the Americas ed Litman NY/IUP pp 23-43.
Dorpat, T.L. (1993). Theo. L. Dorpat, M.D.. J. Clin. Psychoanal., 2(3):318-320.
Guttman, S.A. (1987). Robert Waelder on Psychoanalytic Technique: Five Lectures. Psychoanal Q., 56:1-67. [Read Lecture 1]
Halpert, E. (1981). Referral to Psychoanalytic Candidates: A Special Problem in Technique. Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association, 29:489-510.
II. Transference
CLASS 2: January 22, 2024
REQUIRED READINGS
Freud, S. (1912) Dynamics of Transference SE:12 pp 97-109.
Freud, S. (1915) Observations on Transference Love SE: 12 pp 159-177.
SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS
Akhtar, S. (2019). “There and Then” in the “Here and Now”: Commentary on Kernberg. Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association, 67:999-1011.
Allison, L. & Palmer, R. (2013). The Technique of Psycho-Analysis – David Tuckett on Ella Sharpe. University College of London Video Collection 1:2.
Almond, R. (2011). Freud’s “The Dynamics of Transference” One Hundred Years Later. J. Amer. Psychoanal. Assn., 59(6):1129-1156.
Sharpe, E.F. (1930). The Dynamics of the Method- The Transference. Int. Jour. Psa., Vol XI pp. 374-386.
Waelder, R. (1987). Transference. Psa. Quart., 56:1 pp 19-36.
III. Transference, Reality, Culture and Reconstruction
CLASS 3: January 29, 2024
REQUIRED READINGS
Blum, H. P. (2003). Repression, transference and reconstruction. International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 84:497-503.
Davids, M. F. (2022). Race and Analytic Neutrality: Clinical and Theoretical Considerations. Psychoanalytic Quarterly, 91:371-393.
SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS
Bird, B. (1972). “destructive tendencies” section in Notes on Transference: Universal Phenomenon and Hardest Part of Analysis. J. Amer. Psychoanal. Assn., Vol. 20, pp 287-296.
Greenacre, P. (1959). Certain Technical Problems in the Transference Relationship. J. Amer. Psychoanal. Assn., 7:484-502.
Jacobs, T. (1992) “Transference Relationships, The Relationships Between Transferences, and Reconstruction,” pp. 75-97, Chapter 4 in The Use of The Self, IUP.
Pincus, D., Freeman, W., Modell, A. (2007). A Neurobiological Model of Perception: Considerations for Transference. Psychoanal. Psychol., 24:623-640.
IV. Countertransference
CLASS 4: February 5, 2024
REQUIRED READINGS
REQUIRED READINGS
Arlow, J.A. (1985). Some Technical Problems of Countertransference. Psychoanal Q., 54:164-174.
Jacobs, T.J. (1986). On Countertransference Enactments. J. Amer. Psychoanal. Assn., 34:289-307.
SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS
Abend, S.M. (1986). Countertransference, Empathy, and the Analytic Ideal: The Impact of Life Stresses on Analytic Capability. Psychoanal Q., 55:563-575.
Holmes, D.E. (1999). Race and Countertransference: Two “Blind Spots” in Psychoanalytic Perception. J. Appl. Psychoanal. Stud., 1(4):319-332.
McLaughlin, J.T. (1991). Clinical and Theoretical Aspects of Enactment. J. Amer. Psychoanal. Assn., 39:595-614.
Reich, A. (1951). On Counter-Transference. Int. J. Psycho-Anal., 32:25-31.
V. Interpretation: Methodology
CLASS 5: February 12, 2024
REQUIRED READINGS
Arlow, J.A. (1987). The Dynamics of Interpretation. Psychoanal Q., 56:68-87.
Brenner, C. (1976) Conjecture and Interpretation In: Psychoanalytic Technique and Psychic Conflict (pp.35-38). New York: IUP.
Guttman, S. A. (1987). Robert Waelder on Psychoanalytic Technique: Five Lectures. Psychoanalytic Quarterly, 56:1-67. [Read Lecture 4: Interpretation pp. 49-60]
SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS
Astor, J. (2011). Saying What You Mean, Meaning What You Say: Language, Interaction and Interpretation. J. Anal. Psychol., 56(2):203-216.
Fenichel, O. (1941). Chapter Three: The First Analytical Steps—Dynamics and Economics of Interpretation. In: Problems of Psychoanalytic Technique. Psychoanalytic Quarterly Press NY 1942 pp 23-53.
VI. Introduction to Dream Analysis
CLASS 6: February 26, 2024
REQUIRED READINGS
Freud, S. (1923). Remarks on the Theory and Practice of Dream-Interpretation. The Standard Edition of the Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud, Volume XIX (1923-1925): The Ego and the Id and Other Works, 107-122. [Read only pp. 113-120.]
Freud, S. (1900) The Interpretation of Dreams. The Standard Edition of the Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud 4:ix-627. [Read only Dream of the Botanical Monograph pp. 169-176.]
SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS
Abraham, K. (1913). Should Patients Write Down Their Dreams? In: Clinical Papers and Essays on Psychoanalysis (pp. 33-35). London: Hogarth Press, 1933.
Balter, L. (2018). Spatial Translation and Regression in Dreams: The Nicholas Young Phenomenon. Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association, 66:619-645.
Brenner, C. (1976). Chapter 6 in Psychoanalytic Technique and Psychic Conflict. IUP: New York, pp 133-144
Guttman, S. A. (1987). Robert Waelder on Psychoanalytic Technique: Five Lectures. Psychoanalytic Quarterly, 56:1-67. [Read Lecture 3: Dreams pp. 36-48]
VII. Interpretation: “The Analyzing Instrument”
CLASS 7: March 4, 2024
REQUIRED READINGS
Isakower, O. (1992). Chapter Two: Preliminary Thoughts on the Analyzing Instrument. J. Clin. Psychoanal., 1(2):184-194.
Isakower, O. (1992). Chapter Six: The Analyzing Instrument: An Illustrative Example—A Student’s Account of a Period of Analysis and Supervision: “The Mona Lisa Theme”. J. Clin. Psychoanal., 1(2):209-215
Reiser, M.F. (1999). Memory, Empathy, And Interactive Dimensions Of Psychoanalytic Process. J. Amer. Psychoanal. Assn., 47(2):485-501.
VIII. Interpretation: Defense Analysis
CLASS 8: March 11, 2024
REQUIRED READINGS
Gray, P. (1973). Psychoanalytic Technique and the Ego’s Capacity for Viewing Intrapsychic Activity. J. Amer. Psychoanal. Assn., 21:474-494.
IX. Early Phase Problems: Acting Out
CLASS 9: March 18, 2024
REQUIRED READINGS
Stein, M.H. (1986) Acting out: Transference and countertransference; Technical considerations. In: B. Stimmel (Ed.), Collected Papers (pp. 179-189). Hillsdale, NJ: Aronson.
SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS
Blos, P., Jr. (1972). Silence: A Clinical Exploration. Psychoanal Q., 41:348-363.
Greenacre, P. (1950). General Problems of Acting out. Psychoanal Q., 19:455-467.
Perri, C. (1992). “Drifting”: Altered States of Consciousness in an Analytic Patient—A Case Study. J. Clin. Psychoanal., 1:303-316.
Stein, M.H. (1990). Acting out: Special considerations of diagnosis and technique. In: T. Jacobs and A. Rothstein (Ed.), On Beginning An Analysis (pp. 179-200).
X. The Perennial Controversy: Abstinence & Neutrality vs. Activity & Self – Disclosure
CLASS 10: March 25, 2024
REQUIRED READINGS
REVIEW: Freud, S. (1912). Recommendations to Physicians Practicing Psychoanalysis. SE: 12 pp 115-120.
Jacobs, T. (1999). On the Question of Self Disclosure by the Analyst: Error or Advance in Technique. Psa. Quart., 68:2: 159-183
Renik, O. (1999). Playing One’s Cards Face Up in Analysis: An Approach To The Problem of Self Disclosure. Psa. Quart., 68:4:521-540
SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS
Glover, E. (1955). Active Technique. In: The Technique of Psycho-analysis IUP/NY 1955 pp 165-184
Hoffer, A. (1985). Toward a Definition of Psychoanalytic Neutrality. J. Amer. Psychoanal. Assn., 33:771-795.
Kernberg, O.F. (2011). Divergent Contemporary Trends in Psychoanalytic Theory. Psychoanal. Rev., 98(5):633-664.