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.

In order to discover new meaning, we analytic practitioners regularly remind our patients that we don’t simply assume to understand them. We try to unhurriedly dismantle that which has been stripped of meaning by overuse. Patients talk of being "crazy," of "codependency," of having "trust issues." Sometimes, it’s a look or a hand gesture that suggests, “You know what I mean.” We convey to our patients that, actually, while we care very much about what they are telling us, we may not know what they mean. In fact, they may not be aware, just yet, what they mean themselves.

In this vein, I have been wondering what we mean when we say, for the umpteenth time, “I have a practice in Berkeley,” or ask, “Where do you practice?” Why this word practice? What does it mean? What does it imply about our work and what we do within the space we call a practice? Evidently, we mean the activity that makes up our professional pursuits. The term, practice, is most commonly used in the medical community, and that is its likely origin for our current usage. Is it a medical model that we mean to imply when we speak of our practices?

Perhaps, we mean that our work needs a certain depth, whereby we hope to be highly practiced in our craft. Are we, then, referencing to aspects of our work that are relevant to a deep, inner practice, such that we might be saying that our practices, private as they may be, are akin to something like a spiritual practice?

Trainees and early career clinicians are literally practicing — trying out — the craft with their patients. So are any of us, when we try something new – a new technique, theoretical angle, or the use of ourselves — in a way that feels fresher, less accomplished, less practiced. It might be fair to say that, in our practice, we are practicing on our patients, and deeply with our patients, as they practice doing something old and something new with us.

Warm regards,
Melissa Holub, Ph.D.
NCSPP President


back to top

SF NYE 4U :)

‘Twas the eve b4 09 and, as a connoisseur of fine fruitcake, my only concern was wriggling into my new white gown that night. (The event dress code was all black.) In our noon yoga class, the instructor, a voluptuous woman with a diamond on her left hand, coyly conferred with a student regarding NYE plans. “Yes, we’re just going to stay home and make a romantic dinner. Yeah, that’s what we like to do.” The student, apparently equally partnered, murmured her agreement. After class, a therapist friend and I continued our sporadic holiday phone consults debating the merits of Men are from Mars, Woman are from Venus regarding male/female relationships.

That evening, I attended a very large party with loud music in SoMa. A man and I were in conversation, agreeing about optimism, looking at the glass half full, appreciating life, etc. Later, as I walked past the bar, a woman stopped me, apologized for eavesdropping, and expressed concern that she’d heard the word “suicide” mentioned several times in my discussion with the man. She explained that she was an ICU nurse at a local hospital. I told her that I was actually a psychotherapist and that the man and I had been agreeing upon a positive attitude. The nurse paused, then revealed that she had been having some difficulties with her long-term boyfriend, and asked me if I had a business card. Before moving on, she chortled and pointed at my dress. “I could tell the rebels in this crowd — wearing white!”

Ascending the stairs, the man ahead of me stopped a descending woman in black fishnets and patent leather red boots and told her, “Your outfit is the bee’s knees.” The woman hesitated before interpreting his comment as a compliment, then thanked him.

After the party, we stopped in North Beach to find a late night snack. The line outside of Golden Boy Pizza was 30 deep. On the street I ran into an ex-boyfriend, who had written me a very kind, loving letter sometime after we broke up. He greeted me warmly and addressed me as “Chloe” even after I corrected him the first time. On Broadway, large groups of ETOH-enabled revelers trawled. It was 1:39 a.m., just one hour and a half into the new year. In the darkness, a male baritone boomed out in his best Valley Girl intonation: “2009...Best year EVVVVERRRR!”

Glass half full. Cheers.

Cleopatra Victoria, MFT
IMPULSE Editor


back to top

We've got a vibrant psychoanalytic community.You're offering an amazing professional/educational event. How do you reach analysts, therapists, supervisors, students and interns who are psychoanalytically savvy? Reach out in IMPULSE. If your organization is hosting an event, a seminar, an open house, or perhaps, a novel speaker, we'll help you get the word out to other professionals. ****Reserve one of our monthly features EVENT SPOTLIGHT or PIECE OF MIND in an upcoming edition of IMPULSE and immediately get over 2,000 pairs of eyes focused on your organization!**** With only two regular features in each monthly edition, your event gets prominent placement and targeted audience advertising. Contributions to EVENT SPOTLIGHT and PIECE OF MIND are welcomed each month and are available first-come, first-serve; we suggest reserving in advance. EVENT SPOTLIGHT lets you promote your upcoming analytic event in more depth and detail than is possible in APPOINTMENT BOOK postings. PIECE OF MIND can be used to discuss your organization's mission and goals as well as to highlight an upcoming event. Questions? Or If you'd like to feature your organization in these paid spaces, please send an email using our online contact form. Find who you're looking for!

back to top

February 7, 9:15 – 4:00 PM

PINC celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2009 and is proud of its identity as an interdisciplinary center for creative psychoanalytic thought. An important part of our mission is to enrich psychoanalysis by engaging in discourse with related disciplines.

In recent decades, meditative practices have flourished in the West, involving states of consciousness that lie beyond the ego or self. Contemporary psychoanalysis explores similar states of mind, including reverie and Bion’s ‘O.’ Prominent spiritual teachers, A. H. Almaas and Diane Musho Hamilton, will discuss their work and its relevance for psychoanalytic practice as well as offer experiential practices to help ground the ideas. Three psychoanalysts (Peter Carnochan, Ph.D., Charles Dithrich, Ph.D. and Karen Peoples, Ph.D.) will facilitate clinical and theoretical integration of the material.

St Gregory’s Church, 500 De Haro Street, San Francisco.

Further information: www.pincsf.org.

back to top

Recent neuroscientific advances have stimulated a deepening dialogue regarding how this knowledge might best apply to clinical practice.

Recent neuroscientific advances have stimulated a deepening dialogue regarding how this knowledge might best apply to clinical practice. In this event, we explore the question, what is the significance of neuroscience and, in particular, of neuroplasticity, to psychoanalysis and psychotherapy?

Dr. Brian Koehler, psychoanalyst and ISPS President, discusses the potential of neuroscience for the analyst treating severe mental illness. Neuroplasticity underlies his belief that psychoanalysis can modulate ineffective neuronal response patterns. Interactions between therapist and patient can change basic relational patterns stored in implicit memory systems.

Dr. Koehler will present a clinical perspective integrating research form such disciplines as epigenetics, developmental psychobiology, and affective neurosciences, facilitating the dialogue between a first person phenomenology and a third person neuroscience.

March 21, 2009 — Laurel Heights, President’s Room, 8:30 AM - 1 PM

Clinical Case Conferences, Saturday 2 PM - 4 PM and Sunday 11 AM - 1 PM

To register call: (415) 922-4050

back to top

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: Language & Representation of Rhapsody & Overcoming...
Sun, Feb 1 / 10 AM - 2 PM / 870 Market St., Rm. TBA / San Francisco
Lutecium / Rebecca Bauknight, Ph.D. / $40 - $80

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

SFCP Community Members East Bay Clinical Forum
Wed, Feb 4 / 7 PM - 9 PM / Herrick Hospital 2001 Dwight Way, Rm CC / Berkeley
SFCP / (415) 563-5815 / Kristen M. Carey, Psy.D., and Maureen Anne Katz, M.D. / free

SFCP Psychoanalytic Students Seminar: Analytic Frame & What Happens Inside
Wed, Feb 4 (begins) / 7:15 PM - 8:45 PM / Psychiatry Bldg., 401 Quarry Rd. Rm 2209 / Stanford
SFCP / (415) 563-5815 / Cia Foreman, Ph.D. / free

Understanding Laura: Dynamics, Origins & Transference/Countertransference
Fri, Feb 6 (begins) / 10 AM - 12 PM / East Bay Private Home
NCSPP / (415) 457-9949 / Joan Sarnat, Ph.D. / $55 - $195

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. / $25

Difficult Moments in Play Therapy: Everything They Don't Tell You
Sat, Feb 7 (begins) / 9 AM - 1 PM / CPMC, 2333 Buchanan St, Pathology Conf Rm / SF
NCSPP / (415) 457-9949 / Myrna Frankel, LCSW / $55 - $195

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

SFCP Ext. Div. Peninsula Seminar: Psychoanalytic Treatment with Gay Men
Sat, Feb 7 / 9 PM - 12 PM / Christ Episcopal Church, 1040 Border Road / Los Altos
SFCP / (415) 563-5815 / Gary Grossman, Ph.D. / $75

SFCAMFT Monthly Meeting. Discussion Topic: Working with Families.
Sun, Feb 8 / 3:45 PM - 6 PM / CPMC Davies Campus, Gazebo Room, Castro @ Duboce / SF
SFCAMFT / (415) 294-5083 / Dr. Judye Hess / free / free parking

SFCP Special Scientific Meeting with Adam Phillips - On Losing & Being Lost
Mon, Feb 16 / 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM / 2340 Jackson St., 4th Floor / San Francisco
SFCP / (415) 563-5815 / Adam Phillips / $40

Case Consultation for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapists
Tue, Feb 17 (begins) / 7:30 PM - 9 PM / CPMC / San Francisco
NCSPP / (415) 457-9949 / Beth Steinberg, Ph.D. / $90 - $265

SFCP Community Members SF Clinical Forum
Tue, Feb 17 / 7 PM - 9 PM / 2340 Jackson St., 4th Floor (entry Webster St.) / San Francisco
SFCP / (415) 563-5815 / Kiana Keihani, Ph.D. and Wendy Stern, D.M.H. / free

SFCP Community Members SF Clinical Forum
Tue, Feb 17 / 7 PM - 9 PM / 2340 Jackson St., 4th Floor (entry Webster St.) / San Francisco
SFCP / (415) 563-5815 / Renee Spencer, Ph.D. and Mary Margaret McClure, D.M.H. / free

SFCP Community Members South Bay Clinical Forum
Tue, Feb 17 / 7:15 PM - 9 PM / Psychiatry Buiding, 401 Quarry Rd. Rm 2209 / Stanford
SFCP / (415) 563-5815 / TBA / free

SFCP: Souvenir (Stephen Temperly)
Fri, Feb 20 / 8 PM / ACT, Geary St. / San Francisco
SFCP / (415) 563-5815 / Karim Dajani, Psy.D. and Linda Lagemann, Ph.D. / $10 - $42

Supervision, Consultation, & Mentoring Workshop
Sat, Feb 21 / 9 AM - 4 PM / Los Gatos Lodge - 50 Los Gatos Saratoga Rd / Los Gatos, CA
SCV-CAMFT / (408) 892-3925 / Hugh Grubb, Psy.D., MFT / $150 - $165

SFCP Dialogues : The Narcissistic Use and Misuse of Patients
Sat, Feb 21 / 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM / 2340 Jackson St., 4th Floor / San Francisco
SFCP / (415) 563-5815 / Adrienne Harris, Ph.D. / $35 - $45

SFCP Grand Rounds at Stanford: What do we mean by ‘perversion’ etc.
Wed, Feb 25 / 6:15 PM - 7:30 PM / Psychiatry Buiding, 401 Quarry Rd. Rm 2209 / Stanford
SFCP / (415) 563-5815 / Lee Grossman, M.D. / free

PINC: Ready to Die? Living with Ethical Concerns about Mortality
Sat, Feb 28 / 9 AM - 4 PM / PINC Library, 2252 Fillmore Street / San Francisco
PINC / (415) 922-4050 / Jeffrey Sandler, M.D. / $95

SFCP Child Colloquia with Susan Donner, M.D.
Sat, Feb 28 / 10 AM - 12 PM / 2340 Jackson St., 4th Floor / San Francisco
SFCP / (415) 563-5815 / Susan Donner, M.D. / free

Introduction to Control Mastery Theory
Sat, Feb 28 / 9 AM - 4:30 PM / 3200 California St. / San Francisco
SFPRG / (415) 561-6771 / George Silberschatz, Ph.D. and Kathryn Pryor, Ph.D. / $50

SFCP Child Colloquia \ Watched: Analysis of Childhood Anxiety
Sat, Feb 28 / 10 AM - 12:00 PM / 2340 Jackson St., 4th Floor (entry Webster St.) / San Francisco
SFCP / (415) 563-5815 / Susan Donner, M.D. / free

Gender, Lacan, and the Psychoanalytic Encounter
Sun, Mar 1 / 10 AM - 2 PM / 870 Market St., Rm. TBA / San Francisco
Lutecium / Kristopher Lichtanski, Ph.D. / $40 - $80

22nd Annual International Conference on Control Mastery Theory
Mon, Mar 2 (begins) / 10 AM - 5:30 PM / 9 Funston Ave., The Presidio / San Francisco
SFPRG / (415) 561-6771 / $600

Group Psychology in Clinic and Culture
Thu, Mar 5 (begins) / 7 PM - 8:30 PM / SFCP, 2340 Jackson Street, 4th Floor / San Francisco
NCSPP / (415) 457-9949 / Paul Alexander, Ph.D. / $55 - $165

8th Annual Conference: Current Approaches to Treatment of Traum
Fri, Mar 6 (begins) / 9 AM - 5 PM / UCLA Campus / Los Angeles
LLI / (310) 825-9971 / A. Schore, F. Shapiro, D. J. Siegel, B. van der Kolk, P. Odgen / free - $450

Digital Hysteria: A New Malady of Hypermodernity
Sat, Mar 7 / 1 PM - 4 PM / 1453 Mission, Room 306 / San Francisco
Lacanian School / (510) 835-6104 / Fernando Castrillon, Psy.D. / $60

To submit an event, please see our submission guidelines.

back to top

LOVELY OFFICE: on Piedmont Avenue, Oakland: Thursday, Friday (all day) & Monday (AM). (510) 595-5595. LucieT@usa.net.

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: An essential part of post-graduate practice: Three openings in on-going study group with psychologist/psychoanalyst Eileen Keller. Adult and child work are welcome. We are currently reading Winnicott's Playing and Reality, alternating with case presentations. Thursdays, 12:30 PM - 1:50 PM, $50 per session. In Oakland. kellerphd@gmail.com for more info.

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.

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.

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.

WORKSHOP FOR MFT'S IN THE MAKING. Support and assistance with Trainee and Intern requirements, licensing paperwork, deadlines and procedures. March 9, 11, 16 and 18. 7-9pm. $350. For info call Markus Dobler, MFT (415) 375-9546 or Lisa Anderson Shaffer, MFT (415) 375-9541.


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.

back to top

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.

back to top

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
Matthew Morrissey, Technical Editor
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.

back to top

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.

back to top

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.

back to top