Don’t Talk to Those People: Rhetoric, Polarization, Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis

Today’s divisive political climate has made the idea of talking to those on the “other side” an act of traitorous betrayal. At the same time psychoanalysis has a long history of attempting to bridge what can feel like irreconcilable differences and splits, as they appear in both individual and group dynamics. Rather than following the expectable, and often appropriate, tendency to avoid conversations that break down into attacks and opposition, Dr. Kolod will explore what is possible when we are willing to place ourselves intentionally in the line of fire between polarized groups.

Sue Kolod, PhD, is President of the North American Psychoanalytic Confederation (NAPsaC).  She is a Supervising and Training Analyst and member of the Faculty at the William Alanson White Institute and co-leads a study group on polarization called the Depolarization Project.  Dr. Kolod is a Director-at-Large and serves on the Board of Directors of the American Psychoanalytic Association. Her essay, From Chosen Trauma to Depolarization: Addressing Toxic Polarization in Groups Using the Work of Vamik Volkan, appears in the April 2025 issue of The American Psychoanalyst.