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The puzzle of psychosomatics

Why do we fall ill? Why do we get the specific disease? This seminar will provide answers to these questions based on different theoretical perspectives: psychoanalysis (Franz Alexander, Francoise Dolto, Joyce McDougall) alternative medicine ( acupuncture and homeopathy) and contemporary research findings with patients.
The following diseases will be explored from a psychological perspective: coronary heart disease and hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, ulcerative colitis, ulcer migraine headaches and cancer.
The participants will also have the opportunity to explore experientially their personal symptoms.

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When does therapy end?
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When does therapy end?

At what point is a client ready to leave therapy? This important question puzzles not only beginners but also experienced clinicians and its appropriate resolution determines to a large extent the ultimate success of therapy.
In this seminar we will discuss:
Early indications for a client’s premature flight from therapy
Appropriate management of issues surfacing at the end phase of therapy ( what if the client gets worse? What if the client claims that she is ultimately disappointed with therapy? Are we going to slowly wean the client or continue having regular sessions till the last minute? Are we going to schedule regular follow-ups?)
Presentation of clinical cases where therapy gets into a rut or ends prematurely.
Advantages and disadvantages of short term vs long-term therapy.

The use of imagery in medical problems
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The use of imagery in medical problems

Imagery is a powerful clinical tool with a wide range of applications in medical and psychosomatic problems. Many patients experience considerable difficulty in affective expression and description of their inner states. Imagery can provide an alternative route of self expression which facilitates self-reflection and enhances communication of inner states.

Sophocles, the Minotaur and Mrs. Klein: The archaic kernel of Oedipus complex
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Sophocles, the Minotaur and Mrs. Klein: The archaic kernel of Oedipus complex

In this workshop we will investigate the archaic Oedipus complex according to Klein’s theory focusing on  the composite parental figure and Meltzer’s claustrum concept.

Then we will discuss the myth of the Minotaur as described by Grotstein and will search  our own infantile deamons through experiential activities .

Family unconscious: Archetypes, family secrets and a child’s ‘destiny’
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Family unconscious: Archetypes, family secrets and a child’s ‘destiny’

In this workshop we will investigate the legacy of the family to its offspring. Not only talents but also traumas, secrets and unresolved conflicts passed down from one generation to the next.

These unresolved issues play a significant role in the formation of current family relations and the « destiny» of each individual family member.

Specifically we will examine:

  •   The archetypes emerging from the father and mother imagos
  •   The archetype of the black sheep and the scapegoat
  •   Incestuous themes in the family
  •   Motifs regarding jealousy, envy and death wishes aimed at the child
  •   Ways to deal with unresolved issues in our own family

Several clinical vignettes will  be presented and you can bring your own cases for discussion.