The Insistence of Hope: Repetition Compulsion to Recursive Functions from Freud to Fonagy

Instructors: Matt Carges, LMFT & Craigan Usher, MD

Many have said that “the definition of insanity is doing something over and over again and expecting a different result.” Psychoanalytic theory, from its early roots to contemporary iterations, instead sees repetition as an opportunity for health. In this course we will read. In this course we will read and discover how Freud, Lacan, Balint, Winnicott, Fonagy, and others found in the “Groundhog Day” discourse of psychotherapy—what is to some droll repetition, the insistence of the same story/structure each session—instead something quite hopeful. In four weeks participants will learn how a variety of psychoanalysts explored the creation and utility of a recursive function—a reflectivity which introduces a sense of agency and vitality into the lives of individuals and families. This course will make use of extensive psychoanalytic readings and explorations of film (for example Edge of Tomorrow), art (Escher’s Drawing Hands), and music (Steve Reich, Philip Glass).

Educational Objectives:
At the end of this course, participants will be able to:
1. Identify repetitive and recursive experiences in developmental and therapeutic settings
2. Make intersubjective therapeutic use of repetitive and recursive experiences 

Location: Oregon Psychoanalytic Center
Dates: 4 Tuesdays:May 3, 10, 17, 24
Time: 7-8:30pm

CME Credits: 6
Registration Fee: $200
Professional Level Member Rate: $180
Residents/Interns: $100

Register Here

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education through the joint sponsorship of the American Psychoanalytic Association and the Oregon Psychoanalytic Center. The American Psychoanalytic Association is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The American Psychoanalytic Association designates this Live Activity for a maximum of 6 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

IMPORTANT DISCLOSURE INFORMATION FOR ALL LEARNERS: None of the planners and presenters of this CME program have any relevant financial relationships to disclose.