We hope that you enjoy this month's issue, and we hope you'll join NCSPP or contribute to our scholarship fund to assist us in fostering a vibrant psychoanalytic community in Northern California.

WHAT TIMES ARE THESE?

I am writing my first column as President of NCSPP at a time when we inward-looking psychoanalytic practitioners are surrounded by a highly charged and turbulent exterior environment. We are in the midst of multiple world crises with American leadership that has found it hard to manifest the necessary alpha function required of true authority. Perhaps it is no coincidence that psychoanalytic theory is treated like a Hollywood has-been in the general public, graduate schools and the medical professions. Once fertile fields of deep attention and engagement — hallmarks of our humanity — are now littered with oil spills, land mines, cholera and other detritus of perverse structures and manic activity.

The Bay Area remains a large and vibrant psychoanalytically oriented community. This is a geographic anomaly, and we can appreciate our collective ability to value thinking, feeling and the integration of the two. But, we mental health practitioners need to respond, as well, to the diminished position of the heart and the unconscious mind, especially in times of such external strain. One way to do this is by coming together in settings that touch us deeply and help us feel our connection to one another. Isolation in private practice and burying our heads in texts must be complemented, particularly now, with a greater sense of belonging to a community.

We normally see ourselves as a professional community of clinicians. And, we are, of course, a professional group. But, the call I would make is to find our community less in the formally clinical and more in our human connection. What else is our profession about than our striving to become more humanly related? Our dedication to engagement does not have to be restricted to primarily intellectual encounters. Depth of expression and experience can be FELT through music, poetry, food, laughter and debate. If we approach our professional community with a bit of audacity, we just might dig a little deeper into something essentially and vibrantly alive.

We at NCSPP are taking stabs at offering an integration of great intellectual stimulation with more of this Other Thing. In the South Bay and through our Prelicensed Clinicians Committee, we have recently held lively salons, interviews and movie nights. While we plan for these events to be relatively small, the response is loud. This kind of reaching out and shared experience can help buffer us in hard times. Perhaps it can feed our work, so that we can offer our patients just what they need: openhearted, steady attention in times that often strain us all.

Warm regards,

Melissa Holub, Ph.D.
NCSPP President


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FEELINGS

‘Tis the season — for layoffs, cash crunches, bank robberies and general popular grousing and malaise. Waiting rooms are looking noticeably less crowded these days as patients lose jobs and the income and/or insurance to pay for treatment.

Finding myself with an extra hour one evening, I scuttled down Union Street, the trees ablaze in a cheery haze of white holiday lights. Ho Ho Ho. Hoo boy. Someone had been singing the praises of the designer Armani, and I scurried into the store, where I’d eyed an exquisite, faux-fur-trimmed, belted, black shearling coat. The price had been snipped by 33%, and I guiltily paid cash. A girl needs a proper winter coat, right? Even if the economy is crashing down all around.

In the store, the walls were emblazoned with Armani’s flowing slogan: “You make me feel ... loved. You make me feel ... thrilled. You make me feel ... hot. You make me feel ... happy.” Hey, no wonder people want to shop here. As he rung me up, I chatted with the clerk about the state of the Union Street and the dismal financial climate. He revealed that, for the last few months, he’d been sharing one bedroom with two other people. “No doors,” he grimaced. He was friendly and gave me a gift. It was a T-shirt with the basic Armani slogan, “You make me feel”.

Walking back to my office, I looked up over the hill to Pacific Heights, where my analyst’s office and the two psychoanalytic institutes reside. Many therapists’ offices are located on Fillmore Street, and there’s an inside joke that it’s actually called “Feel More” Street. I decided to give the T-shirt to someone who makes me feel.

Cleopatra Victoria, MFT
IMPULSE Editor


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Clinicians, scholars and artists with an interest in Freudian and Lacanian psychoanalysis are warmly invited to attend two days of intensive teaching, case presentations, aesthetics and discussion featuring members of Quebec-based GIFRIC and the Freudian School of Quebec. GIFRIC teaching analysts will lead case discussions and teach about their groundbreaking psychoanalytic work with psychotics and the family. This is a rare opportunity to learn from these inspiring speakers.

Sponsors: The California Psychoanalytic Circle and Richmond Area Multi-Services (RAMS)
Analysts: Willy Apollon, Ph.D., Danielle Bergeron, MD, and Lucie Cantin, M.Ps.
Artistic Presentation: Annie Rogers, Ph.D., author of The Unsayable and A Shining Affliction
Location: Golden Gate University, 536 Mission Street, San Francisco
Date & Time: Friday & Saturday, March 6 - 7, 8:30 AM - 5 PM
Cost: $225 if registered before Jan. 31; $250 thereafter; $100 for students

More information: http://www.gifric.com/ecole-cercles-california.htm

Free Public Lecture: Friday, 7 - 9 PM


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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.

Lutecium: Case Conference I
Wed, Jan 7 (begins) / 6 PM - 8 PM / 870 Market St., Rm. 1063 / San Francisco
Lutecium / Marian Joycechild, Ph.D. / $350

SFCP Community Members East Bay Clinical Forum
Wed, Jan 7 / 7 PM - 9 PM / Herrick Hospital 2001 Dwight Way, Rm CC / Berkeley
SFCP / (415) 563-5815 / S. Morgan, MFT, S. Bemesderfer, Ph.D., B. Mcswain, MSW / free

SFCP Students Seminar: Analytic Listening, Thinking, and Speech
Wed, Jan 7 / 7:15 PM - 8:45 PM / Psychiatry Buiding, 401 Quarry Rd. Rm 2209 / Stanford
SFCP / (415) 563-5815 / Lynn Alexander, Psy.D. / free

Lutecium Seminar: Lacan and Other Jouissance
Thu, Jan 8 (begins) / 6 PM - 8 PM / 870 Market St., Rm. 1063 / San Francisco
Lutecium / Rebecca Bauknight, Ph.D. / $350

Lutecium: Writing Group Formation "Letters"
Fri, Jan 9 (begins) / 6 PM - 8 PM / 870 Market St., Rm. TBA / San Francisco
Lutecium / Michelle Baker, M.A. & group participants / $60

The Clown: An Archetypal Self-Journey
Sat, Jan 10 / 9:30 AM - 1:30 PM / 2040 Gough Street / San Francisco
C. G. Jung Institute / (415) 771-8080 / Michael Bala, MFT / $100

SFCP Dialogues : Thoughts on James Joyce's Thoughts on Being an Artist
Sat, Jan 10 / 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM / 2340 Jackson St., 4th Floor / San Francisco
SFCP / (415) 563-5815 / Alice Jones, M.D. and Michael Zimmerman, Ph.D. / $35 - $45

Lutecium: Freud/Lacan Seminar II
Sat, Jan 10 (begins) / 11 AM - 1 PM / 870 Market St., Rm. TBA / San Francisco
Lutecium / M. Joycechild, Ph.D., M. Ewert, DMH, J. W. Bernstein, Ph.D., J. Gasperoni, Ph.D. / $350

SFCAMFT Monthly Meeting
Sun, Jan 11 / 3:45 PM - 6 PM / CPMC Davies Campus, Gazebo Room, Castro St @ Duboce St / San Francisco / (415) 294-5083 / Speaker: Dr. Brigitte Lank, Working with Sex Addiction / free

Informational Open House
Mon, Jan 12 / 7:30 PM - 9 PM / PINC Library, 2252 Fillmore Street / San Francisco, CA
PINC / (415) 922-4050 / Candidates, faculty, supervisors discuss anaytic training at PINC. / free

Lutecium: Advanced Case Conference
Thu, Jan 15 (begins) / 6 PM - 8 PM / 870 Market St., Rm. 1063 / San Francisco
Lutecium / Rebecca Bauknight, Ph.D. / $350

SFCP TOTC: Rich and Famous (John Guare)
Fri, Jan 16 / 8 PM / ACT, Geary St. / San Francisco
SFCP / (415) 563-5815 / Jed Sekoff, Ph.D. and Linda Lageman, Ph.D. / $10 - $42

Lutecium Seminar: Introduction to Lacan
Sat, Jan 17 (begins) / 11 AM - 1 PM / 870 Market St., Rm. TBA / San Francisco
Lutecium / Michelle Baker, M.A., & Aden Neumeister, M.A. / $350

LSP - On the Significance of the Letter in Lacanian Psychoanalytic Practice
Sat, Jan 17 / 1 PM - 4 PM / CIIS Building, Room 306, 1453 Mission St. / San Francisco
Lacanian School / (510) 835-6104 / Dany Nobus, Ph.D. / $40 - $100

Lutecium Workshop: The Business of Private Practice
Sun, Jan 18 / 10 AM - 2 PM / 870 Market St., Rm. TBA / San Francisco
Lutecium / Kristopher Lichtanski, Ph.D. / $80

SFCP Community Members South Bay Clinical Forum
Tue, Jan 20 / 7 PM - 9 PM / Psychiatry Buiding, 401 Quarry Rd. Rm 2209 / Stanford
SFCP / (415) 563-5815 / Alan Kessler, Ph.D. / free

SFCP Community Members SF Clinical Forum
Tue, Jan 20 / 7 PM - 9 PM / 2340 Jackson St., 4th Floor / San Francisco
SFCP / (415) 563-5815 / Kiana Keihani, Ph.D., Wendy Stern, DMH / free

SFCP Public Lecture Series: Hope, Inspiration and Politics
Wed, Jan 21 / 7:30 PM - 9 PM / 2340 Jackson St., 4th Floor / San Francisco
SFCP / (415) 563-5815 / Rachel Peltz, Ph.D. / free

Supervisory Space Transitions and Positions
Fri, Jan 23 (begins) / 2 PM - 4 PM / PINC Library / San Francisco
NCSPP / (415) 457-9949, (415) 263-0633 / Sue Saperstein, Psy. D., MFT / $55 - $165

Neuroscience Study Group. Psychoanalysis and Neuroscience Join Forces
Fri, Jan 23 (begins) / 12:15 PM - 1:45 PM / PINC Library 2252 Fillmore St / San Francisco, CA
PINC / (415) 922-4050 / Maggie Zellner , Ph.D. / $600

SFCP Peninsula Seminar: Psychoanalytic Therapy with Couples
Sat, Jan 24 (begins) / 9 AM - 12:05 PM / Christ Episcopal Church, 1040 Border Road / Los Altos
SFCP / (415) 563-5815 / Janice Mill, Ph.D. and Peter Klein, Ph.D. / $150

The Nearness of Attention: Four sessions of meditation, reading, discussion
Mon, Jan 26 (begins) / 7:30 PM - 9 PM / PINC Library 2252 Fillmore Street / San Francisco, CA
PINC / (415) 922-4050 / Karen Peoples, Ph.D. / $80 - $120; 6 hrs CE

SFCP Grand Rounds at Stanford: Psychoanalytic Encounter with Architecture
Wed, Jan 28 / 6:15 PM - 7:30 PM / Psychiatry Buiding, 401 Quarry Rd. Rm 2209 / Stanford
SFPRG / (415) 563-5815 / Robert Harris, M.D. / free

SFCP Training Program Open House
Wed, Jan 28 / 7:30 PM - 9 PM / 2340 Jackson St., 4th Floor / San Francisco
SFCP / (415) 563-5815 / Elizabeth Simpson, LCSW et al. / free

Neuroscience Study Group: Psychoanalysis and Neuroscience Join Forces
Fri, Jan 30 (begins) / 12:15 PM - 1:45 PM / Dwinelle Hall Media Cntr Conf Rm #127 / Berkeley
PINC / (415) 922-4050 / Maggie Zellner, Ph.D. / $600

Graduation Paper: When Success Feels Fraudulent
Sat, Jan 31 / 9 AM - 10:30 AM / Laurel Hts., Call to reserve a place / San Francisco, CA
PINC / (415) 922-4050 / C. Mason-Straughan, LPC presenter; M. Murphy, Ph.D., discussant / free

Graduation Paper: Winnicott's Translation of Reich
Sat, Jan 31 / 10:45 AM - 12:15 PM / Laurel Heights, Call to reserve a place / San Francisco, CA
PINC / (415) 922-4050 / John Conger, Ph.D., Presenter. Robert Erlich, Ph.D. Discussant / free

Working Through Cultural Trauma
Mon, Feb 2 / 7:30 PM - 9 PM / 2340 Jackson St., 4th Floor Auditorium / San Francisco
SFCP / (415) 563-5815 / Victor Wolfenstein, Ph.D. / free

Sitting on the Couch: Psychoanalysis Considers Spiritual Practices
Sat, Feb 7 / 9:30 AM - 4 PM / St. Gregory's Church, 500 DeHaro Street / San Francisco, CA
PINC / (415) 922-4050 / analytic and spiritual presenters / $40 - $80; $45 for CE

Hysteria: Dynamics, Origins, & the Erotic Transference/Countertransference
Fri, Feb 6 (begins) / 10 AM - 12:00 PM / Home in North Berkeley Hills / Berkeley
NCSPP / (415 ) 457-9949 / Joan Sarnat, Ph.D. / $55 - $165

Creativity and Madness at the Opera
Fri, Feb 6 / 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM / Los Altos
NCSPP / (408)496-2733 / Ken Pound, Ph.D. / $20 - $25

Difficult Moments in Play Therapy: Everything They Don't Tell You
Sat, Feb 7 (begins) / 9 AM - 1 PM / TBA / San Francisco
NCSPP / (415 ) 457-9949 / Myrna Frankel, LCSW / $55 - $165

Identity, Sexuality and the Self in Adolescence
Sat, Feb 7 / 10 AM - 1 PM / Center for Healthy Development / Santa Clara
NCSPP / (408) 247-9399 / Brian Feldman, Ph.D. / $25 - $100

To submit an event, please see our submission guidelines.

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I AM INTERESTED IN A SUBLET: In a downtown analytic office for T, W, and Th mornings. Please contact Marian Joycechild, (415) 346-9466.

CASE CONSULTATION IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF POST-GRADUATE PRACTICE: Three openings in on-going study group with psychologist/psychoanalyst Eileen Keller. Adult and child work is welcome. We are currently reading Winnicott's Playing and Reality, alternating with case presentations. Thursdays, 12:30 PM - 1:50 PM, in Oakland. kellerphd@gmail.com for more info.

OFFFICE SUBLET: In Prime Rockridge location, 3 full days available. Contact: (510) 420-1846.

CONTEMPORARY PSYCHOANALYTIC CONSULTATION GROUP: Forming to discuss clinical process, theory, and writing. Thursday, 9:30 AM - 10:45 AM in Rockridge, 5625 College Ave. Call Sam Gerson, (510) 654-4525 to discuss joining.

CASE CONSULTATION GROUP: for psychoanalytically oriented psychotherapists. Mondays 12:50 - 2:15 pm. Contact Beth Steinberg, Ph.D. at (415) 441-5302 or besteinberg@comcast.net.

ELEGANT OFFICE: With a parking space available for rent on Mondays, Thursdays and Wednesdays after 3 pm. Location: Lower Pacific Heights, SF. Beautiful gardens. $500 ($200 per day/$100 half day). Call Kathy (415) 820-1414.

CONSULTATION/STUDY GROUP FORMING: Wednesdays 11:15 AM - 12:30 PM. Bion, Winnicott, Meltzer, etc. Charles Dithrich, Ph.D., (510) 655-6650, cdithrich@gmail.com.

CONSULTATION GROUP: New on-going group forming for psychotherapists/ psychoanalysts beginning in January 2009 with Era Loewenstein. Tuesdays 12 PM - 1:15 PM in San Francisco. We will begin with studying omnipotent pathological organization as it relates to narcissism, perversion, and eating disorders. Alternating case discussion and readings. For information: ealoewenstein@aol.com or (415) 695-9656.

ONGOING SEMINAR: Openings starting March 6. Alternate weeks of cases and readings. This section will focus on the work of Antonino Ferro. Three month commitment. $45/session. Oakland, Fridays 3 PM - 4:30PM. CE credits pending. Annie Sweetnam, Ph.D., (510) 428-2913. Anniesweetnam@sbcglobal.net.

NEW WRITING GROUP: Support group for psychoanalysts and psychotherapists who are writing or want to start writing. Alternate Saturdays starting March 1, 10 AM - 1 PM. 8 session commitment. $65/session. Berkeley. CE credits pending. Annie Sweetnam, Ph.D., (510) 428-2913. Anniesweetnam@sbcglobal.net.

R U A TECHNOCRAT WITH A COUCH? Impulse dearly needs your help as our Technical Editor. Must be as comfy plumbing the depths of a harshly punishing superego as wading though Google Groups. If you know your way around the web and the online world, we want you. We all work via email and your caseload will be light and sporadic. See your name in pixels on the IMPULSE masthead and get your name known in the psa community. Contact us. We miss you already.


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. Join us.

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Melissa Holub, Ph.D., NCSPP President
Cleopatra Victoria, M.A., MFT, Editor-in-Chief
Bruce Weitzman, MFT, Managing Editor
Meg Earls, M.A., Features Editor
Terra Morais, M.A., Appointment Book Editor
Michele McGuinness, Production Manager
Cate Corcoran, Psy.D., Brad Falconer, M. A., Editors Emeritus

Each month, IMPULSE reaches over 1,830 psychoanalytically interested professionals and students in Northern California.

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IMPULSE is a monthly newsletter published by the Northern California Society for Psychoanalytic Psychology for the purpose of connecting Northern California psychoanalytic practitioners, students, and scholars. IMPULSE aims to foster the development of psychoanalytic practice and thought in our region through collaboration and understanding.

For information on submitting event listings and other content to IMPULSE, please see our guidelines and policies page 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 contact 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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