Toronto Institute for Contemporary Psychoanalysis

The Toronto Institute for Contemporary Psychoanalysis

 

Annual Business Meeting

October 28, 2009

 

President’s Report

 

The past year has been productive and rewarding for our Institute and Society.

 

Three stimulating weekend events were held. On October 4, 2008, Dr. Anthony Bass, President of the Stephen A. Mitchell Center for Relational Studies in New York City commenced the year’s Visiting Scholar Series.  He delivered our Annual Stephen Mitchell Memorial Lecture: Analytic Love and the Dialogue of Unconsciouses.  On January 17, 2009, Dr. Steven Cooper, Joint Editor-in-Chief of Psychoanalytic Dialogues conducted a workshop entitled Reflections on Privacy, Reverie and the Termination Process.  On May 25, 2009, Dr. Stephen Seligman (San Francisco) led our year-end event on Attachment, Intersubjectivity, and Mentalization: Clinical and Developmental Implications.

 

Monthly scientific meetings were coordinated by Drs. Gary Rodin and Scott Bishop.  Discussions were always spirited and enlightening. September 20, 2008 was a special retirement celebration for Dr. Eliott Markson.  In a lovely talk entitled Gratitude, Dr. Markson reviewed and shared the key events in the development of his career and his clinical thinking.  On October 1, Dr. Bruce Herzog gave a talk, “Your’re giving me what I need, but I have no place to put it: Challenging pathological relational templates through analytic provision.  On November 2, Prof. Bruce Fink from Duquesne University conducted a half-day workshop on “Contrasting Relational and Lacanian Approaches.”  On Dec. 6, Dr. Jeffrey Rubin (New York) conducted another Saturday workship, “How to stay sane in an insane world: Integrating insights from psychoanalysis, Buddhism and yoga.”  On January 7, 2009, Dr. Sam Izenberg (TICP) presented, “How to Teach Psychoanalysis…Revised.” February 4, Prof. Clive Thomson (TICP) and Dr. Doron Almagor (TPS) discussed “The masochistic woman does not exist: Freudian and Lacanian perspectives on love and the other jouissance: a clinical case.” On March 4, Kate Harper (TICP) presented “Freud’s Project for a Scientific Psychology: Model of an Early Neuronal Network: Does it have something to offer neuropsychoanalysis?”  On May 6, Dr. Howard Gorman (TICP) led a discussion of his paper, “An intention-based definition of psychoanalytic attitude: what does it look like, how does it grow?”

Study groups for graduates, faculty, candidates, and guests continue to provide yet another stimulating mode for continuing education. Monthly meetings were held on: Relational Psychoanalysis (Dr. Hazel Ipp); Winnicott and Post-Winnicott (Dr. Ann Baranowski); Cinema and Psychoanalysis (Dr. Deborah Levine); and Neuropsychoanalysis (Dr. Scott Bishop).

Our first Extension Course was held in this fall.  Coordinated by Dr. Sarah Turnbull, it was entitled The Couch Under the Bo Tree: Psychoanalysis in Dialogue with Buddhism.  Faculty were Drs. Dan Merkur, Keith Haartman, Robert Besner, with special guest, Dr. Jeffrey Rubin.  This course was so well received that discussions are under way concerning a possible sequel.

We continue to collaborate with a number of other psychoanalytic groups, both locally and abroad. In September, we cosponsored the Thirteenth Annual Day in Applied Psychoanalysis with Trinity College, University of Toronto, the Toronto Psychoanalytic Society, and the Psychotherapy Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto. This year’s topic was Blood Remembering: Psychoanalysis and Poetry. The keynote speaker was Prof. Robert Pinsky (Boston University).  Dr. Salman Akhtar (Philadelphia) served as special guest faculty. 

 

Riding on the success of our Fourth Joint International Conference at the University of British Columbia, plans are in full swing for the Fifth JIC.  It will take place in Edinburgh, Scotland, August 6-8, 2010. It will be hosted with the psychoanalytic societies of the William Alanson White Institute, New York University’s Postdoctoral Program in Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy, Adelphi University’s Postdoctoral Program in Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy, and the Scottish Institute for Human Relations. Another challenging theme has been chosen, Failure: Psychoanalytic Explorations. 

 

Besides our ongoing encouragement of scholarly research and presentations, we have also been actively engaged in a number of publishing ventures. A book, Taboo or Not Taboo? Forbidden Thoughts, Forbidden Acts in Psychoanalysis (Karnac Books: London, 2009) based on our Joint International Conference at Niagara-on-the-Lake, came out this May. Another volume, based on the Trinity College Dublin symposium, On Deaths and Endings: Psychoanalysts’ Reflections on Finality, Transformation, and New Beginnings (London: Routledge, 2007) has been honoured with the National Association for the Advancement of Psychoanalysis’ 2008 Gradiva Award for Best Anthology. A book on our latest conference, Loneliness and Yearnings, is in process. Dr. Brent Willock (TICP) serves as lead editor for these works.  Drs. Lori C. Bohm (William Alanson White Institute) and Rebecca C. Curtis (Adelphi University) are co-editors.   A volume based on the Cape Town conference, Power and its Discontents, is being assembled by Drs. Glenys Lobban, Michael O’Loughlin, and Cora Smith.  Another recent book, Comparative-Integrative Psychoanalysis (New York: The Analytic Press, 2007) by Brent Willock also reflects much about our Institute’s values and philosophy.

 

For their diligent, creative efforts over the past twelve months, great thanks are due to the Chairs of all our standing committees: Dr. Hazel Ipp (Admissions), Dr. Judi Kobrick (Candidate Progress), Dr. Sam Izenberg (Ethics), Dr. Gary Rodin (Scientific Program & Scholarly Papers), Dr. Sarah Turnbull (Society Development Committee), Dr. Scott Bishop (Marketing & Outreach; Scientific Program), and Dr. Ann Baranowski (Curriculum). Our finances continue to be in respectable shape thanks to the conscientious labour of our Treasurer, Dr. Scott Bishop. Our Secretary, Dr. Nira Kolers, continues to perform many valuable services, including liason with all support staff. Drs. Kadri-Ann Laar and Neomi Stein provided very useful service to the community and candidates by coordinating our Referral Service. Neomi Offman has kept our financial transactions and other matters humming along. After many years of fine service as our Administrative Coordinator, Donna Woodhouse has moved on to other pursuits.  With her usual thoroughness, she arranged for a smooth transition to our new coordinator, Suzanne Pearen.

 

In sum, the past year has witnessed many continuing, meaningful developments for of our Society and Institute. Our Board, committees, faculty, graduates, candidates, and others have given generously of their time, energy, and thoughtfulness to make all this happen.  Their contributions are deeply appreciated. These spirited efforts have sustained the high quality of our endeavours. Everyone can feel proud of all that has been accomplished. Thank you.

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Brent Willock, Ph.D., C.Psych.

President, TICP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TICP Annual Business Meeting

October 2008

President’s Report 2008

I regret to report that on May 24, 2007, one of our faculty members, Dr. George Awad, died following a long struggle with a progressive heart condition. Apart from this sad news, the past year has been productive and rewarding for our Institute and Society.

Three stimulating weekend events were held. On September 15, 2007, Dr. Jody Messler Davies (New York) commenced our visiting scholar series. She presented our Annual Stephen Mitchell Memorial Lecture: From Oedipus Complex to Oedipal Complexity: Reconfiguring (Pardon the Expression) the Negative Oedipus Complex and the Disowned Erotics of Disowned Sexualities.  In the afternoon, Dr. Kadri-Ann Laar, a member of our faculty, provided challenging clinical material that Dr. Davies and the audience discussed.

On February 9, 2008, Dr. Jeanne Wolff-Bernstein (Berkeley) conducted a stimulating workshop on Bion and Lacan: Two Mavericks of Psychoanalysis. In the afternoon, one of our graduates, Professor Clive Thomson, offered intriguing clinical material that Dr. Wolff-Bernstein and the audience discussed.

On June 7, 2008, our Fourth Annual Symposium was a Dream Day with Dr. Paul Lippmann (Stockbridge, Massachusetts) and Dr. Joshua Levy (Toronto).  In the morning, Dr. Lippmann presented On Dreams in the Cultural and the Clinical Context: Past, Present and Future. His paper was discussed by Dr. Levy.  In the afternoon, Dr. Sarah Freke (Toronto) shared a case, Twenty First Century Schizoid Man: A Week of Dreams. After formal remarks on the case by the panelists, lively discussion ensued between panelists and audience.

Monthly Scientific Meetings were coordinated by Drs. Gary Rodin and Scott Bishop. On November 3, 2007 Dr. Judith Kantrowitz (Boston) discussed Writing About Patients: Implications for Patients, Therapists, and the Therapeutic Process. On December 5, Dr. Brent Willock (Toronto) presented Mangy Mongrels or Marvellous Mutts? The Question of Mixed Models. Professor Graeme Taylor provided thoughtful discussion. On April 2, 2008 Dr. Hazel Ipp (Toronto) shared her paper on The Dialectics of the Multiple Languages of Disclosure.  On June 25 Dr. Peter Shoenberg (London) presented An Impossible Breakdown: Psychosomatic Manifestations. Formal discussion of Dr. Shoenberg’s paper was admirably provided by Dr. Graeme Taylor (Toronto).

Study Groups for graduates, faculty, candidates, and guests continue to provide yet another stimulating mode for continuing education. Monthly meetings were held on: Relational Psychoanalysis (Dr. Hazel Ipp); Winnicott and Post-Winnicott (Dr. Ann Baranowski); Cinema and Psychoanalysis (Dr. Deborah Levine); and Neuropsychoanalysis (Dr. Scott Bishop).

We continue to collaborate with a number of other psychoanalytic groups, both locally and abroad. In September, we cosponsored the Twelfth Annual Day in Applied Psychoanalysis with Trinity College, University of Toronto, the Toronto Psychoanalytic Society, and the Psychotherapy Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto. This year’s topic was Men, Women, and Guns: A Psychoanalytic History of Violence. Keynote speakers were Drs. Carol and James Gilligan (Boston). Dr. James and Judy Deutsch (Toronto) served as discussants. 

Our Fourth Joint International Conference took place at the University of British Columbia with the psychoanalytic societies of the William Alanson White Institute, New York University’s Postdoctoral Program in Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy, Adelphi University’s Postdoctoral Program in Psycho-analysis and Psychotherapy, and the Western Canada Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Association. The conference theme was Loneliness and Yearnings. Outstanding presentations were made by a number of individuals affiliated with our Institute, including:  Drs. Graeme Taylor, Art Caspary, Ron Zirin, Bruce Herzog, John Sloane, Philip Classen, and Brent Willock. In every way, this symposium was a grand success. Plans are underway for our next Joint International Conference to be held in the summer of 2010.

Besides our active involvement encouraging scholarly research and presenta-tions, we have also been actively engaged in publishing ventures. A book, Taboo or Not Taboo? Forbidden Thoughts, Forbidden Acts in Psychoanalysis, based on our Joint International Conference held at Niagara-on-the-Lake, is in press with Karnac Books (London). A volume based on the Trinity College, Dublin symposium, On Deaths and Endings: Psychoanalysts’ Reflections on Finality, Transformation, and New Beginnings, has been published by Routledge (London, 2007). This book, our first to roll off the press, has recently been honoured with the National Association for the Advancement of Psychoanalysis’ Gradiva Award for being Best Anthology of the year. A book on our latest conference, Loneliness and Yearnings, is in process. Dr. Brent Willock (TICP) is lead editor of these works.  Drs. Lori C. Bohm (William Alanson White Institute) and  Rebecca C. Curtis  (Adelphi  University)  are co-editors.  A  volume  based on the Cape Town conference, Power and its Discontents, is being assembled by Drs. Glenys Lobban, Michael O’Loughlin, and Cora Smith. A book entitled Comparative-Integrative Psychoanalysis that reflects much about our Institute was authored by Brent Willock (New York: The Analytic Press, 2007).

For their diligent, creative efforts over the past twelve months, great thanks are due to the Chairs of all our standing committees: Dr. Hazel Ipp (Admissions), Dr. Judi Kobrick (Candidate Progress), Dr. Sam Izenberg (Ethics), Dr. Gary Rodin (Scientific Program & Scholarly Papers), Dr. Sarah Turnbull (Society Development Committee), Dr. Scott Bishop (Marketing & Outreach, and Scientific Program), and Dr. Brent Willock (Curriculum). Our finances continue to be in respectable shape thanks to the conscientious labour of our Treasurer, Dr. Gary Taerk. Our Secretary, Dr. Nira Kolers, continues to perform many valuable services, including liaison with all support staff. After several years of fine service to the Board, Dr. Gail White has stepped down to pursue other interests. For many years Dr. Michelle Flax provided very useful service to the community and candidates by coordinating our Referral Service. She has passed the torch to Dr. Kadri-Ann Laar and Neomi Stein. Neomi Offman has kept our financial transactions and other matters well ordered, while Allan Ennist has maintained our web page (www.ticp.on.ca). Donna Woodhouse has worked hard to coordinate the multitudinous administrative tasks involved in sustaining a cohesive institute.

In sum, the past year has witnessed many continuing, meaningful developments of our Society and Institute. Our Board, committees, faculty, graduates, candidates, and others have given generously of their time, energy, and thoughtfulness to make all this happen, and their contributions are deeply appreciated. These spirited efforts have sustained the high quality of our endeavour; everyone can feel proud of all that has been accomplished. Thank you.

Respectfully submitted,

Brent Willock, Ph.D., C.Psych.

President, TICP

PRESIDENT'S REPORT 2007

October 2007

This past year has been another productive and rewarding one for our Institute and Society. Three stimulating weekend events were held. On September 16, 2006, Dr. Jessica Benjamin (New York) commenced our year's visiting scholar series with her Stephen Mitchell Memorial Lecture. In the morning, she shared her thoughts on Working with the Intersubjective Third. In the afternoon, Dr. Michelle Flax, a member of our faculty, presented moving clinical material involving challenging issues that Dr. Benjamin and the audience discussed.

On January 27, 2007 Dr. Ken Corbett (New York) conducted a stimulating workshop on gender. He presented two intriguing papers, Gender Now and Queer Masculinities and engaged the audience in thought provoking discussion.

On June 2, 2007, our Third Annual Symposium was entitled From the Cradle to the Grave: Psychoanalytic Implications of Attachment Theory Through the Life Cycle. Prof. Mary Target (London) opened the event with an update on developments in attachment theory. Faculty member Dr. Jean Wittenberg presented Supporting Security: A Preventive Intervention for Infants and their Caregivers. Another Faculty member, Dr. Gary Rodin, discussed Facing the Inevitable: Attachment Theory and the End of Life. In the afternoon, Prof. Target discussed the talks of Drs. Wittenberg and Rodin, then presented a fascinating case study, Attachment, Developmental Crisis and Transference: the Successful Narcissist Hits Midlife. Lively discussion ensued between panelists and audience.

Monthly scientific meetings were coordinated by Dr. Gary Rodin. In October, Dr. Ann Baranowski (TICP) discussed Psychoanalysis and Mourning. In December, Dr. Dan Merkur (TICP) shared his thoughts on Interpreting the Sense of Badness. In January, Dr. Scott Bishop (TICP) spoke In Defense of Psychoanalysis in the Age of the Empirically Supported Treatment Movement.

We continue to collaborate with a number of other psychoanalytic groups, both locally and abroad. In September, we cosponsored the Eleventh Annual Day in Applied Psychoanalysis with Trinity College, University of Toronto, the Toronto Psychoanalytic Society, and the Psychotherapy Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto. This year's topic was Buddhism and Psychoanalysis: Conceptualizing the Self. The keynote speaker was Dr. Mark Epstein. In February, with the Toronto Psychoanalytic Society, we sponsored a workshop in connection with the Ontario Psychological Association's Annual Convention. This event, conducted by Prof. Don Carveth (TICP) and Dr. Klaus Wiederman (TPS), was entitled Beyond Narcissism: Working through Limits and Limitations in Psychotherapy.

Drs. Hazel Ipp and Judi Kobrick worked very hard with their planning committee to host a marvellous Annual Spring Conference for the Division of Psychoanalysis, American Psychological Association (Division 39) in April 2007. The theme was On Clinical Momentum: Time, Process, and Complexity in the Psychoanalytic Arena. Drs. Irwin Z. Hoffman and Adrienne Harris were outstanding keynote speakers.

Plans are underway for our Fourth Joint International Conference with the psychoanalytic societies of the William Alanson White Institute, New York University's Postdoctoral Program in Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy, and Adelphi University's Postdoctoral Program in Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy. After our last two successful symposia in Dublin and Cape Town, our next one returns to Canada where it all began several years ago in Niagara on the Lake. The conference will be in Vancouver (summer 2008), co~hosted with colleagues from that area. A book based on the theme of the Niagara symposium (Taboo or Not Taboo? Forbidden Thoughts, Forbidden Acts in Psychoanalysis) is currently in press with International Universities Press. Another volume based on the Dublin symposium (On Deaths and Endings: Psychoanalysts' Reflections on Finality, Transformation, and New Beginnings) has already been published (London: Routledge, 2007). These books were edited by Brent Willock (TICP), Lori C. Bohm (William Alanson White Institute) and Rebecca C. Curtis (Adelphi University). A third book based on the 2005 Cape Town conference on Power and its Discontents is being co-edited by Glenys Lobban, Michael O'Loughlin, and Cora Smith. Finally, a volume entitled Comparative Integrative Psychoanalysis that reflects much about our Institute was authored by Brent Willock in June 2007 (New York: The Analytic Press).

Study Groups for TICP graduates, faculty, candidates, and Guest members continue to provide yet another stimulating mode for continuing education. The groups held monthly meetings on topics of Relational Psychoanalysis (Dr. Hazel Ipp); Winnicott and Post Winnicott (Dr. Ann Baranowski); Cinema and Psychoanalysis (Dr. Deborah Levine); and Neuropsychoanalysis (Dr. Scott Bishop).

For their diligent, creative efforts over the past twelve months, great thanks are due to the Chairs of all our standing committees: Dr. Hazel Ipp (Admissions), Dr. Judi Kobrick (Candidate Progress), Dr. Sam Izenberg (Ethics), Dr. Gary Rodin (Scientific Program & Scholarly Papers), Dr. Sarah Turnbull (Society Development Committee), Dr. Scott Bishop (Promotions and Community Outreach), and Dr. Brent Willock (Curriculum). Our finances continue to be in respectable shape thanks to the conscientious labour of our Treasurer, Dr. Gary Taerk. Our Secretary, Dr. Nira Kolers, and Member of the Board, Dr. Gail White, performed many valuable services for us over the past year. Dr. Michelle Flax continues to provide a very useful service to the community and candidates by coordinating our Referral Service. Neomi Offman has kept our financial transactions and other matters well ordered, while Allan Ennist has continued to maintain our web page (www.ticp.on.ca). Donna Woodhouse has worked hard to coordinate the multitudinous administrative tasks involved in sustaining a cohesive institute.

In sum, the past year has witnessed a large number of continuing, meaningful developments for our Society and Institute. Our Board, committees, faculty, graduates, candidates, and others have given generously of their time, energy, and thoughtfulness to make all this happen. Their contributions are deeply appreciated. These spirited efforts have sustained the high quality of our endeavour. Everyone can feel proud of all that has been accomplished. Thank you.

Brent Willock, Ph.D., C.Psych., President, TICP.