We hope you enjoy three exciting new features this month in IMPULSE.  First, PRESIDENT'S REMARKS provides a forum for the current NCSPP President, Beth Steinberg, to reflect in a more personal manner. In this issue, she'll kick things off with her insider's view of the process of applying for analytic training.

Next, if you've ever mused about what it's like to train as an analyst, you'll find CANDIDATE'S BLOG revealing. Louis Roussel, Ph.D., a 4th year SFPI candidate, bravely free associates for us. He'll blog for the next 6 months, giving us a unique window into this seemingly mysterious process.

Finally, EVENT SPOTLIGHT offers local organizations the opportunity to share more detail about an upcoming event of interest to the analytic community. The inaugural entry focuses on a film screening offered by the San Francisco Society for Lacanian Studies.

Let us know if there are other things you'd like to see in IMPULSE.  We welcome your ideas to help us continue the success of our venture. Even better, please join NCSPP and assist us in fostering a vibrant psychoanalytic community in Northern California.

This past fall I went through the process of applying for psychoanalytic training. I found this process very intense and thought provoking. Over the next few months in IMPULSE I would like to consider some of the issues — what it means to think and work psychoanalytically, important qualities an analyst should possess, the difference between psychoanalysis and psychotherapy, just to name a few — that this process stirred in me. In the next issue I will describe some of what I went through in writing a personal statement for my application and going through numerous hours of clinical and personal interviews.

Beth Steinberg, Ph.D.
President, NCSPP

The goal of the San Francisco Psychotherapy Research Group, Clinic and Training Center (SFPRGCTC) is to further the development of psychodynamic psychotherapy through teaching, research and study. The center focuses on developing Control Mastery Therapy, based on the innovative theory originated by Joseph Weiss more than 35 years ago and empirically investigated by Hal Sampson and SFPRGCTC.

We see Control Mastery theory and technique growing and expanding as it assimilates new research findings. The name "Control Mastery" alludes to two defining aspects. "Control" refers to the concept that the person, utilizing criteria of safety and danger to decide a course of action, exercises control of unconscious mental life. "Mastery" refers to the instinctive, unconscious desire to master psychological problems that interfere with normal life goals. Weekly case conferences provide the opportunity to explore case material. In-depth classes study the theory and its application to special populations. An annual week-long workshop (46 CEUs!) in the first week of March is an intensive survey of theory, research methods and clinical concepts.

In 2002, SFPRGCTC opened a training center and low-fee clinic currently in San Francisco's Presidio. We train up to ten interns with a goal to help students gain skill and sophistication in working with a variety of techniques, determined by client-focused and case-specific assessment, treatment planning, psychotherapy process, and outcome research. This one- or two-year, half-time program runs September to August. We are currently accepting applications for 2006-2007. The program spans adult, adolescent, child, family, group and couple therapy. The clinic accepts referrals for long-term therapy. Please call (415) 677-7946, ext. 1.

In the coming years we plan to sponsor research, present educational seminars and conferences, and contribute to the exciting current dialogue in the psychotherapeutic and scientific communities.

Jessica Broitman, Ph.D.
President, Executive Director
San Francisco Psychotherapy Research Group

This space is available for psychological organizations in Northern California who want to articulate their relationship to the local psychoanalytic community. Please see our submission guidelines to express interest in contributing.

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The term "blog" refers to a web-based journal wherein individuals offer up their personal experiences to anyone with a web browser. The New York Times recently estimated that more than 10 million blogs now populate the Internet. Ever interested in the latest technologies for communication, the editors at IMPULSE thus sought out a local analytic candidate willing to share his or her experience in training. Our intrepid volunteer is Dr. Louis Roussel, Ph.D., a 4th year candidate at SFPI who maintains a private practice in Oakland. Following is his first entry.

2006 Jan: As psychoanalytic candidates, we must contend with intense passions and other disturbances of affect that are a natural concomitant of the work of analysis. The intensity of involvement with patients in analysis is often a novel experience for the beginning candidate accustomed to working with psychotherapy patients who most often present less than three times per week. The disturbance of practicing psychoanalysis for the first time leads many of us to rush to theory in a frenetic search for shelter from these new turbulent waters. Theoretical seminars, while vital for the training of a candidate, can be utilized in a way that alienates us from the rawness of emotional experiences in analysis. We are vulnerable to making use of our theories as defensive structures that protect us from the unpredictability and potential pain of our interpersonal encounters in analysis. This defensive stance minimizes the candidate's anxiety but leads to a reification of the patient, that is to say, it treats the patient as an abstract object to be influenced without having the license to influence the analyst as a real person. One of the most important things I learned as a candidate is that the analyst by definition is a disturbance, and as such, s/he must develop the capacity to fully experience the disturbance of analysis.

I found the psychoanalytic writing seminar taught to candidates at the San Francisco Psychoanalytic Institute to be an excellent antidote to the defensive use of theory by beginning candidates. Dr. Susan Kolodny presented a writing exercise whereby candidates were required to write about vignettes from their analytic work without using any psychoanalytic or theoretical terms. I found this practice to be an invaluable part of my training as an analytic candidate in that it enabled me to reconnect with the more disturbing and emotionally jarring aspects of my work that I had unconsciously defended myself against. In future blogs, I would like to provide illustrations of this style of writing with case vignettes from my own work as an analytic candidate.

Louis Roussel, Ph.D

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Want to do something subversive on Presidents' Day Weekend? On Saturday, February 18, come to the San Francisco Society for Lacanian Studies' screening and discussion of Jane Campion's In the Cut, starring Meg Ryan, Mark Ruffalo, and Jennifer Jason Leigh. Co-starring as presenter-discussants at the program will be Diane Borden, Marilyn Fabe and John Gasperoni, all well-known to Bay Area filmgoers interested in the intersection between film studies and psychoanalysis. This series features films that are controversial, mysterious, spirited, admired or condemned — but under-appreciated.

Location and time of the program is 12:30 - 5 PM in Nestrick Auditorium (142 Dwinelle Hall) on the UC Berkeley campus. With malice toward none and charity for all, admission to this event is free! (Tax deductible contributions are welcome, of course, and memberships to the Society are available.) For further information, contact Eric Essman: epessman@lbl.gov or (510) 486-5750.

Want EVENT SPOTLIGHT to shine on your upcoming analytic happening? You'll find our submission guidelines illuminating.

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Appointment Book offers a sampling of the psychoanalytically oriented events taking place in Northern California over the coming month. Where available, simply click an event title to view details on the sponsoring organization's web site.

Consultation Group: The Interplay of Psychotherapy & Buddhism
Wed, Feb 1 (begins) / 10 AM - 12 PM / 121 Clement St. / San Francisco
Deep Streams Institute / Joseph Bobrow, Ph.D. / $60 per meeting

Theater on the Couch: "Sexual Perversity in Chicago" by David Mamet
Fri, Feb 3 / 8 PM / A.C.T.'s Geary Theater, 405 Geary / San Francisco
SFPI&S / Lee Grossman, M.D. will discuss the play / $21 - $65

Potential Space, Interpretation and the Holding Environment
Sat, Feb 4 / 8:45 AM - 12:30 PM / Veteran's Memorial Center Theater, 203 E. 14th St. / Davis
NCSPP / Deborah Melman, Ph.D. / $35 - $50

The Vulnerability of the Therapist as Crisis and Opportunity
Sat, Feb 4 / 9 AM - 12:30 PM / 2232 Carleton Street / Berkeley
The Psychotherapy Institute / Arlene Bermann, LCSW / $33 - $53

Unfolding Moments: Therapeutic Relationship in Effective Psychotherapy
Sat/Sun, Feb 4 & 5 / 9 AM - 4:30 PM / 1330 Lincoln Avenue, Suite 201 / San Rafael
Community Institute for Psychotherapy / Stephen Schoen, M.D. / $180 - $240

How Does the Talking Cure?
Fri, Feb 10 (begins) / 12:30 - 2 PM / 2727 College Avenue / Berkeley
NCSPP / Andrea Walt, Ph.D. / $120 - $210

Dialogues: Where do Interpretations Come From?
Sat, Feb 11 / 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM / SFPI&S library / San Francisco
SFPI&S / P. Goldberg, H. Markman, M. M. McClure, R. Poggi / $35 - $45

Scientific Meeting: Otto Kernberg, M.D.
Mon, Feb 13 / 7:30 - 9:30 PM / SFPI&S Library / San Francisco
SFPI&S / Otto Kernberg, M.D. / free

Theater on the Couch: "Gem of the Ocean" by August Wilson
Fri, Feb 17 / 8 PM / A.C.T.'s Geary Theater, 405 Geary / San Francisco
SFPI&S / Forrest Hamer will discuss the play / $21 - $65

Seminar on Poetry as an Aid in Analytic Listening — The Independent Tradition
Sat, Feb 18 (begins) / 10 AM - 1 PM / TBA / Berkeley
SFPI&S / Susan Kolodny, D.M.H. / $150

Ethics in Psychoanalysis and Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy
Sat, Feb 18 / 9 AM - 1 PM / PINC Library, 2252 Fillmore Street / San Francisco
PINC / Jeff Sandler, M.D. / $75

Messages from the Minoans: Gender and Power in an Ancient Culture
Sun, Feb 19 / 1 - 4 PM / PINC Library, 2252 Fillmore St. / San Francisco
Deep Streams Institute / Dianne Elise, Ph.D. ; John Beebe, M.D.; Joseph Bobrow, Ph.D. / $50

Melanie Klein on the "Past"
Tue, Feb 21 / 7:30 - 9:30 PM / Auditorium, N. Tower, CPMC Davies Campus, 45 Castro St. / San Francisco
Institute for Psychoanalytic Studies / Elizabeth Bott Spillius, Ph.D. / $30 - $45

"I Can't Believe I Said That": Mistakes, Enactments in the Therapeutic Process
Fri, Feb 24 (begins) / 12:30 - 2 PM / TBA / Palo Alto
SFPI&S / Dena Sorbo, L.C.S.W., Lee Grossman, M.D. / $275

Sausalito Salon Series: Liberation in Practice and Teaching of Psychoanalysis
Fri, Feb 24 / 6:30 - 8:45 PM / details upon registration / Sausalito
NCSPP / Louis Roussel, Ph.D. / $15 - $20

NCSPP Scientific Meeting: To Dream, Perchance to Think
Sat, Feb 25 / 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM / CPMC Pacific Campus, 2333 Buchanan / San Francisco
NCSPP / Kathy Sinsheimer, MFT and Sue von Baeyer, Ph.D. / free - $30

Introduction to Control Mastery Theory
Sat, Feb 25 / 9 AM - 4:30 PM / JCC, 3200 California St. at Presidio Ave. / San Francisco
SFPRG / Steven Foreman, M.D.; Jan Schieber, Ph.D.; George Silberschatz, Ph.D. / $20 - $50

19th Annual SFPRG March Workshop 2006
Mon, Feb 27(begins) 6 days / 10 AM - 5:15 PM / 9 Funston Ave in The Presidio / San Francisco
SFPRG / over 40 members of SFPRG / $45 for individual course; $600 for week of 41 CEU

Case Seminar of Psychotherapy with Neurodevelopmentally Atypical Children
Thu, Mar 2 (begins) / 11:15 AM - 12:45 PM / 5330 College Ave., Suite 220 / Oakland
Individual Sponsor (Teresa Doyle, Ph.D.) / (510) 594-1926 / $960

Psychoanlytic/Psychodynamic Case Consultation Group in the South Bay
Fri (ongoing) / 10:30 AM - 12 PM / 20688 Fourth Street / Saratoga
Individual Sponsor (Alan Kessler, Ph.D.) / $45 per meeting

Building a Child Psychotherapy Practice: Case Consultation and Reading
Thu (ongoing) / 12 - 1 PM / 550 Hamilton Ave. #240 / Palo Alto
Individual Sponsor (Mary Jane Otte, Ph.D.) / (650) 326-6663 / $60 per meeting

Psychoanalytic Impasses: Case Consultation and Reading
Tue (ongoing) / 1:10 - 2:15 PM / 550 Hamilton Ave. #240 / Palo Alto
Individual Sponsor (Mary Jane Otte, Ph.D.) / (650) 326-6663 / $60 per meeting

Current Views on Psychoanalytic Core Concepts: Transference
Wed (ongoing) / 11:20 AM - 12:50 PM / 550 Hamilton Ave. #240 / Palo Alto
Individual Sponsor (Lynn Alexander, Psy.D.) / (650) 328-8505 / $45 per meeting

Collaborative Group Consultation — Independent Psychoanalytic Perspective
Wed (ongoing) / 11:40 AM - 1:05 PM / 301 B Saratoga Road / Los Gatos
Individual Sponsor (Hugh Grubb, M.A.) / $45 per meeting

To submit an event, please see our submission guidelines.

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Two psychotherapy offices for rent. Hayes Street near St. Mary's. Victorian, new paint, carpet.  11 x 13 with closet.  Available March 1st. $675. 11 x 11 with adjoining room for desk $575. Jacquie Ward, Ph.D. @ 415-752-5428.

Messages From The Minoans: Gender and Power In An Ancient Culture. With Dianne Elise. Discussion by John Beebe and Joseph Bobrow. Sunday, February 19, 1-4 PM. PINC library, 2252 Fillmore St., San Francisco. 3 CE's. Deep Streams Institute. Learn more.

Old couches, new books, hot jobs, cool internships? Post classified ads on NCSPP's online bulletin board at no charge. We will also feature your listing in IMPULSE for a modest fee. Please see our submission guidelines for details.

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The Northern California Society for Psychoanalytic Psychology (NCSPP) is committed to the study of psychoanalytic psychology and the encouragement of its interest in the professional and general communities. We are a multi-disciplinary, non-profit membership organization open to mental health professionals and all others interested in the study of psychoanalytic psychology.

Our more than 650 members form a community that spans the greater Bay Area and Northern California. NCSPP is a local affiliate of Division 39 (psychoanalysis) of the American Psychological Association. Our vast array of lectures, intensive study groups, scientific meetings, courses, our journal fort da, and numerous special events and projects are all brought to you by scores of volunteers who work to support NCSPP's mission. Our educational programs include continuing education credit for psychologists, marriage and family therapists, and licensed clinical social workers. We welcome you into the psychoanalytic community in Northern California. Please join us.

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Beth Steinberg, Ph.D., NCSPP President
Cleopatra Victoria, M.A., MFT, Editor
Cate Corcoran, M.A., Features Editor
Brad Falconer, M.A., Managing Editor

Each month, IMPULSE reaches over 1,250 psychoanalytically oriented professionals and students in Northern California.

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Event listings in APPOINTMENT BOOK are available for your psychoanalytically oriented educational or professional event. To submit your event for consideration, please use our online form.

Contributions to PIECE OF MIND, our feature profiling Northern California psychoanalytic organizations, will be assigned on a monthly basis. If you'd like to suggest an organization to be featured in this space, please send an email via our online form with the subject PIECE OF MIND. Please do not send attachments or files.

EVENT SPOTLIGHT lets you promote your upcoming analytic event in more depth and detail than is possible in APPOINTMENT BOOK. The cost is $100 per month for up to 150 words describing your event. A maximum of one EVENT SPOTLIGHT will run each month. Please begin by expressing interest in EVENT SPOTLIGHT in an email via our online form. Once approved, send payment to NCSPP, c/o Michele McGuinness, 12 Hampton Ave., San Anselmo, CA 94960, and send your copy via our online form. Please do not send attachments or files.

You can list your psychoanalytically oriented jobs, internships, for sale items, announcements, etc. in CLASSIFIEDS. The cost is $20 per month for a 30-word ad. Please send payment to NCSPP, c/o Michele McGuinness, 12 Hampton Ave., San Anselmo, CA 94960. Email your ad copy via our online form with the subject CLASSIFIEDS.

DEADLINES: To be considered for publication, submissions must be received by the 15th of the month prior to publication. (For example, September 15 for the October issue.) NCSPP and IMPULSE staff reserve the right to decline any submission at our sole discretion.

IMPULSE's complete submission guidelines can be found on the NCSPP web site.

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IMPULSE is published electronically once a month by the Northern California Society for Psychoanalytic Psychology. Comments are welcome and should be sent via our online form.

You are receiving this monthly newsletter from the Northern California Society for Psychoanalytic Psychology (NCSPP) because of your interest in psychoanalysis. Any mental health professional or student interested in psychoanalytic thought may subscribe free to IMPULSE, regardless of organizational affiliation. To ensure that IMPULSE isn't misidentified as junk mail, we recommend adding impulse@ncspp.org to your email program's address book. If you haven't done so already, click to confirm your interest in subscribing. To unsubscribe, click the SafeUnsubscribe link at the bottom of this message.

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