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.

SURPRISE

Stefano Bolognini, acclaimed Italian psychoanalyst and “latter-day Winnicott,” arrives in the Bay Area for the NCSPP Annual Lecture on May 2nd. In reviewing some of Bolognini’s work, I am particularly interested in his attention to the analyst’s use of moments of surprise in the clinical hour.

I have been thinking about these split-second phenomena both in and out of the clinical setting, when we discover that what we thought was known is not, when what we found continuously obtuse has edges. The Unexpected wields the power of the Zen master’s stick, abruptly insisting that flagging attention and sleepy mind awake. This is the power of surprise: to jolt us out of comfortable assumptions.

Surprise can be a precursor to empathy (or what Bolognini calls “complex empathy”), because it brings the subjectivity of the Other out of the shadows. There must be an experience of an Other for there to be empathy, for one’s mind and heart to make fresh contact with another.

Surprise is, literally, a breakthrough, wherein a new experience breaks through the normative state. The moment of surprise is, perhaps, a way in to Bion’s ‘O’. What we do with a breakthrough is unpredictable. We can engage alpha function and move into K or we can mobilize an anxious retreat. Bolognini’s emphasis on making use of moments of surprise in analytic work is very much about developing special attention for these moments, particularly for their ability to allow aspects of the patient and the analyst to break through a veil. What seems to be foreground or manifest can suddenly be turned on its head in these moments, both for the clinician’s experience of Self as well of the other. When such contact has been made, the possibility for transformation arises.

Bolognini is a master at integrating his deeply felt sense of analytic work with great intellectual rigor. In his words, “... analysis is not only the science of the deep, but also the science of the deeply shared path to the deep.” We are indeed fortunate that he will join us in May.

Warm regards,

Melissa Holub, Ph.D.
NCSPP President


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Your 30 seconds of fame-act now!

Someone said that April is the cruelest month :) It doesn't have to be. And, we'd like to give you some fun and a chance for fame, brief and fleeting as it may be. For years, we've pondered how to make IMPULSE more interactive for you, dear reader. This month we invite you in.

As I write this, we are on the eve of the Tiburon Film Festival, and the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. What better time to ask you to harness your psychoanalytic prowess for a mini-analysis (300 words or less) of a 1982 short film (6 minutes) by Tim Burton who attended the California Institute of the Arts, worked as a Disney animator, and went on to direct Batman and Edward Scissorhands. His short film, Vincent, is a Dr. Seuss/Edgar Allan Poesque piece rich with fantasy -- a melange of 2D, 3D, German expressionism, and B-horror.

But, enough about him; more about about you. Take a look at the film and free-associate, using whatever lens you see best with -- Lacanaian, Jungian, Kleinian, Bionian, etc. Everyone from students to rock-star analysts are invited to write up a mini-analysis of 300 words or less. Next month, we'll publish the most intriguing entry in this space with credit to you. And, we'll reward you with a prize of a decent bottle of wine.

We're looking for a fast, impressionistic snapshot, so please feel free to be simply good-enough. Caution: this is a dark film. But, if you haven't heard any of these themes in the consulting room or in your own analysis, you might consider this film an introduction.

Watch the 6 minute film by clicking here, and email your mini-analysis to me by clicking here Submissions must be received by April 15th.

Cleopatra Victoria, MFT
IMPULSE Editor


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NCSPP Presents Our 22nd Annual Lecture & Event: Notes from the Deep: A Day with Stefano Bolognini, M.D.

NCSPP presents an exceptional Annual Event, featuring leading Italian psychoanalyst Stefano Bolognini, M.D. and leading local analysts Charles Spezzano, Ph.D. and Rachael Peltz, Ph.D.

Recently described as “a latter-day Winnicott” (Tubert-Oklander, 2007), Stefano Bolognini is renowned for writings that provide rich, humane depictions of clinical experience and engage brilliantly with a diverse range of topics, including the challenge of contemporary theoretical pluralism and what he calls complex empathy.

The agenda includes a paper presentation by Dr. Bolognini with discussion by Dr. Spezzano, and a case presentation by Dr. Peltz with discussion by Dr. Bologini and the audience.

Saturday, May 2, 2009
9:00 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.
Jewish Community Center
3200 California Street, San Francisco
CE credits: 6
Fees: $25 - $160

Visit NCSPP to register and find more information.

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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.

SFCP Community Members East Bay Clinical Forum
Wed, Apr 1 / 7 PM - 9 PM / Herrick Hospital 2001 Dwight Way, Rm CC / Berkeley
SFCP / (415) 563-5815 / Adam Beyda, Psy.D. / free

SFCP SF Student Outreach: Promoting Depth in Psychotherapy
Wed, Apr 1 (begins) / 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM / 2340 Jackson St., 4th Floor / San Francisco
SFCP / (415) 563-5815 / Beth Steinberg, Ph.D. / free

PINC The Work of Peter Fonagy: Mentalization and Clinical Practice
Sat, Apr 4 / 9 AM - 1 PM / PINC Library 2252 Fillmore St / San Francisco
PINC / (415) 922-4050 / Barbara Short, Ph.D. / $40 - $60 / 4 CE credits

SFCP Special Scientific Meeting with E. Loewenstein & S. Purcell
Mon, Apr 13 / 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM / 2340 Jackson St., 4th Floor / San Francisco
SFCP / (415) 563-5815 / Era Loewenstein, Ph.D. and Stephen Purcell, M.D. / free

SFCP Psychoanalytic Students Seminar:Working Psychoanalytically with Trauma
Wed, Apr 15 (begins) / 7:15 PM - 9:45 PM / Psych Buiding, 401 Quarry Rd. Rm 2209 / Stanford
SFCP / (415) 563-5815 / Shila Fisk, Ph.D. / free

PINC Thoughts for Thinkers: Psychoanalytic Leaders at Work
Thu, Apr 16 (begins)/ 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM / PINC Library 2252 Fillmore St. / San Francisco
PINC / (415) 922-4050 / Reyna Cowan, LCSW and Carol Harrus, M.D. / $20 - $40 / 9 CE credits

Aging With Our Clients: Opportunities and Challenges
Sat, Apr 11 / 9 AM - 12 PM / 1330 Lincoln Ave., Ste. 201 / San Rafael
CIP / (415) 459-5999 x101 / A. Bermann, LCSW, S. Henry, MFT, S. Pennington, LCSW / $45 - $65

Nietzsche, Freud and Jung: An Archetypal Perspective
Sat, Apr 11 (begins) / 10 AM - 4 PM / 2040 Gough Street / San Francisco
C. G. Jung Institute / (415) 771-8080 / Richard Tarnas, Ph.D. / $250

SFCP Conversations on Adolescents: Keeping the Other in Mind
Sat, Apr 18 / 10:05 AM - 12:05 PM / Flamingo Conf. Resort and Spa, 2777 4th St. / Santa Rosa
SFCP / (415) 563-5815 / Maureen Katz, M.D. and Christina Lapides, LCSW / free

SFCP Community Members South Bay Clinical Forum
Tue, Apr 21 / 7:15 PM - 9 PM / Psychiatry Buiding, 401 Quarry Rd. Rm 2209 / Stanford
SFCP / (415) 563-5815 / TBA / free

SFCP Community Members SF Clinical Forum
Tue, Apr 21 / 5:15 PM - 9 PM / 2340 Jackson St., 4th Floor / San Francisco
SFCP / (415) 563-5815 / Vittorio Comelli, Ph.D. and Steven Goldberg, M.D. / free

SFCP Evening of Art V: Opening
Fri, Apr 24 / 6 PM - 9 PM / 2340 Jackson St., 4th Floor / San Francisco
SFCP / (415) 563-5815 / free

The SFIPS Woodrow Donovan Memorial Event: Woody Allen's Film, "Another Woman"
Sat, Apr 25 / 2:15 PM - 5:30 PM / Ft. Mason Bldg C, Room 370 / San Francisco
Institute for Psychoanalytic Studies / (415) 679-0997 / Diane Borden, Ph.D. / $15 - $40

SFCP Ext. Div. EB Saturday Seminar: Clinical Panel
Sat, Apr 25 / 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM / 2215 Prince Street / Berkeley
SFCP / (415) 563-5815 / Jack Giuliani, Ph.D. and Peter Goldberg, Ph.D. / $75

SFCP Poetry and Psychoanalysis with C. Dale Young
Sat, Apr 26 / 4 PM - 5:30 PM / 2340 Jackson St., 4th Floor / San Francisco
SFCP / (415) 563-5815 / C. Dale Young / free

SFCP Grand Rounds at Stanford: MPD, Satanic Abuse, and Alien Abduction
Wed, Apr 29 / 6:15 PM - 7:20 PM / Psychiatry Buiding, 401 Quarry Rd. Rm 2209 / Stanford
SFCP / (415) 563-5815 / Brant Wenegrat, M.D.

CIP's 15 Annual Gala Event - Rock'n Rodeo
Sat, May 2 / 4 PM - 8 PM / InnMarin - 250 Entrada Drive / Novato
CIP / (415) 459-5999 x101 / $60

To submit an event, please see our submission guidelines.

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GET HOOKED: Check out the psychoanalytically informed alt/pop music of R00K, an Oakland, CA-based musical project led by IMPULSE cofounder and clinical psychology pre-doc Bradley James Falconer. More at www.r00kmusic.com.

I AM INTERESTED in a psychoanalytic psychotherapy based study/case presentation group on Bion in the Sacramento area. I live in Nevada City. I'm lonely up here! Josie Gibb, Ph.D., LMFT, josiegibb@gmail.com, (530) 559-8420.

TIRED OF THE ISOLATION often associated with private practice? Consider joining a supportive group of therapists looking for a suite of offices in the South Bay.If you would like to meet us for an interview please contact Karen at (408) 626-8779.

ANALYTIC GROUP THERAPY is an unique opportunity for a group relational experience that may be adjunctive to individual analysis or act as an independent therapy experience. Ongoing group meets Tuesday eve 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM. Group Leader: Sue Saperstein, MFT, Psy.D. (415) 641-4146.

PSYCHOANALYTIC CONSULTATION GROUP. On-going group focusing on the use of countertransference responses, including the group's response, to discover the moment of alive contact in each session. Weds. 10:30 AM - 12 PM. Albany. $50 per meeting. Maureen Franey, Ph.D. (510) 527-6141.


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
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.

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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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