WCSPP

Facing the Challenges of Treating Autistic Spectrum Disorders Through an Existential/Realizational Psychoanalytic Perspective
2023-06-17 10:00 - 11:30 (America/New_York)
1 CE Hour available for NY Practitioners – LCSWs, LMSWs, LPs, LMFTs, LMHCs, LCATs, PHDs, PSYDs
Presenter: Wade Anderson, PhD, Clinical Psychologist & Psychoanalyst
LIMITED TO 20 PARTICIPANTS! To allow for depth of clinical discussion and a true sense of our formal coursework, participation will be capped at 20 therapists.
Persons with Autistic Spectrum Disorders can present a myriad of challenges in the consulting room. Each person has their own way of being in the world which needs to be met with compassion and clinical creativity. If you are interested in sharing your own clinical dilemmas treating ASD patients and also hearing from Dr. Anderson about a number of long-term and varied ASD cases, this clinical case consultation would be valuable for you. The small group supervision format offers attendees a taste of the post-graduate training experience at WCSPP.
Presenter – Wade Anderson, PhD
Wade Anderson — Currently on the Supervisory Faculty of WCSPP and Coordinator of the Dialogues In Clinical Moments series, Wade is in full-time private practice working with adults, children and families in Ardsley and Pleasantville, NY. Over his time in practice, he has successfully treated many people presenting with ASD. Wade is a 2012 graduate of the Westchester Center’s Psychoanalytic training program and a 2016 graduate of the Supervisory Training program. He is active in the psychoanalytic community creating discourse around education and treatment utilizing psychoanalytic, Buddhist and psychedelic frameworks. Formerly, Wade has held positions as: Clinic Director, MHA of Westchester in Mt. Kisco, Supervising Psychologist and program director at St. Luke’s/Roosevelt Hospital in the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Faculty, Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Foundations and Advanced Psychoanalytic Training Programs Open House
2023-06-26 19:00 - 20:00
WCSPP offers two adult training programs: a two-year training experience in psychodynamic psychotherapy and also an intensive course of study and immersion into contemporary psychoanalysis. Each of these certificate programs provides excellent hands-on education and training in the theory and practice of psychotherapy and contemporary psychoanalysis. The programs are designed to enhance a clinician’s understanding of psychodynamic and psychoanalytic thinking in their workplace and/or private practice. The training hones the candidate’s existing capacities to “see”, feel, and understand the multiple levels of meaningful human interaction in the consulting room.
Growing empirical evidence is clear that “deep therapeutic work”–like the kind offered at WCSPP–promotes change and growth in patients that is more substantial and longer lasting than in short-term, singularly focused, or behavioral treatments.
The Foundations of Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Training Program is a two-year program designed to provide candidates with a solid theoretical and clinical base in psychoanalytic psychotherapy. A three-pronged approach is used, which includes coursework, personal therapy, and consultation/supervision with a number of master clinicians who are a part of the WCSPP Faculty. Candidates will learn how to better recognize aspects of their work that are occurring outside the conscious awareness of the patient (or even the clinician) and how to use this expanded understanding in a dynamic, transformative way.
The Advanced Psychoanalytic Training Program is open to graduates of the Foundations Program and/or an equivalent program at another training institute. The Advanced course is an additional three-year program (beyond the Foundations program) that provides further in-depth training in psychoanalysis. The training consists of concurrent participation in didactic course work, supervised clinical work, and a personal psychoanalysis. Such an intense immersion enables the candidate to transform experientially and deeply understand the empirical basis of theoretical formulations and to develop analytic skill in the conceptualization and execution of psychoanalytic work.
Who is eligible and should apply?
Applicants must be licensed Masters or Doctoral-level mental health professionals: M.D., Ph.D., Psy.D., LCSW, NP, LMSW, LCAT, LMHC, LMFT
CE Credits will be offered for coursework.
Financial Aid is available for those who qualify.
Timeline:
Rolling admissions with decisions made by July 30, 2023
Program begins September 2023
We will continue to be on Zoom for the 2023-2024 year.
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We’d love to have you become part of our community… Come see what we are all about!

Child, Adolescent, Parent Psychotherapy Training Program (CAPP) Open House
2023-06-28 20:00 - 21:00
Opportunity for distance learning!
Our program weaves together the study of individual child & adolescent, and parent development through understanding the impact of psychological histories, relational patterns, intergenerational effects, and changing social contexts and constructs. Training is based on a psychodynamic, relational orientation to change, integrating parent guidance and advice as needed.
We welcome all mental health practitioners, whether your work is exclusive to children & adolescents, primarily serves adults or some combination. We never forget that there is, after all, a child’s history within each adult and the challenge of growing within every child, adult, and parent.
Who is eligible and should apply?
Applicants must be licensed Masters or Doctoral-level mental health professionals: M.D., Ph.D., Psy.D., LCSW, NP, LMSW, LCAT, LMHC, LMFT
Financial Aid is available for those who qualify.
CE hours available for some coursework for eligible NYS LCSW, LMSW, LMFT, LMHC,LCAT, LP and NYS Psychologists and CT Social Workers through NASW CT
Timeline:
Rolling admissions with decisions made by July 30, 2023
Program begins September 2023
We’d love to have you become part of our community…Come see what we are all about!

Couples Therapy Training Program Open House
2023-07-11 19:00 - 20:00
TRAINING AT WCSPP WILL BE OFFERED BEYOND WESTCHESTER. WE WELCOME LICENSED APPLICANTS FROM ANYWHERE IN NY STATE OR CONNECTICUT!
Opportunity for distance learning!
How Couples Training Can Change Your Practice
Hone your skills and confidence in treating couples
Become part of our Westchester/Connecticut community of clinicians
Begin or grow your private practice through our referral network of graduates
About Our Training Program
Our Couples Therapy Training Program is a one year program which teaches both basic and advanced couples therapy techniques and theory with a combination of psychoanalytic and systems perspectives. Candidates are introduced to several different theoretical approaches including object relations and relational theory, self psychology, Bowenian theory and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) with emphasis on the clinical work with couples. We also discuss issues pertaining to LGBTQ relationships, divorce, cross cultural relationships, and substance abuse. In addition to the didactic instruction, weekly supervision is provided by senior faculty for cases seen through our Psychotherapy Service.
The Couples Therapy Training Program provides a solid introduction to couples work and provides an opportunity to join the warm, supportive community at our institute, build your referral network, and be exposed to the many and varied learning opportunities provided at WCSPP.
Our program’s coursework will take place online.
Who is eligible and should apply?
Applicants must be licensed Masters or Doctoral-level mental health professionals: M.D., Ph.D., Psy.D., LCSW, NP, LMSW, LCAT, LMHC, LMFT
Financial Aid is available for those who qualify.
The Rosalind Cohen Scholarship fund will award two fully paid scholarships for course work and supervision to qualified applicants to WCSPP’s Couples program.
CE hours available for some coursework for eligible NYS LCSW, LMSW, LMFT, LMHC,LCAT, LP and NYS Psychologists and CT Social Workers through NASW CT
Timeline:
Rolling admissions with decisions made by July 30, 2023
Program begins September 2023
We will continue to be on Zoom for the 2023-2024 year.
We’d love to have you become part of our community… Come see what we are all about!

Child, Adolescent, Parent Psychotherapy Training Program (CAPP) Open House
2023-08-16 11:00 - 12:00
Opportunity for distance learning!
Our program weaves together the study of individual child & adolescent, and parent development through understanding the impact of psychological histories, relational patterns, intergenerational effects, and changing social contexts and constructs. Training is based on a psychodynamic, relational orientation to change, integrating parent guidance and advice as needed.
We welcome all mental health practitioners, whether your work is exclusive to children & adolescents, primarily serves adults or some combination. We never forget that there is, after all, a child’s history within each adult and the challenge of growing within every child, adult, and parent.
Who is eligible and should apply?
Applicants must be licensed Masters or Doctoral-level mental health professionals: M.D., Ph.D., Psy.D., LCSW, NP, LMSW, LCAT, LMHC, LMFT
Financial Aid is available for those who qualify.
CE hours available for some coursework for eligible NYS LCSW, LMSW, LMFT, LMHC,LCAT, LP and NYS Psychologists and CT Social Workers through NASW CT

Timeline:
Rolling admissions extended through mid-August
Program begins September 2023
We’d love to have you become part of our community…Come see what we are all about!

A.I. on the Couch: Staying Human in the Age of Advanced Technology
2023-09-08 19:30 - 21:30
About

Join us for a thought-provoking discussion on the profound impact of Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) and its implications for the field of psychoanalysis! Earn 2 CE HOURS, approved for NY Practitioners – LCSWs, LMSWs, LPs, LMFTs, LMHCs, LCATs, PHDs, PSYDs.

This program has been approved for Continuing Education Credit Hours by the National Association of Social Workers, CT and meets the continuing education criteria for CT Social Work Licensure renewal.

🗓️ Date: 9/8/2023
🕒 Time: 7:30 PM
📍 Location: Zoom
📚 About the Talk:
Some experts argue that A.I. presents a greater threat to humanity than nuclear weapons, while others see it as a tool for advancing human knowledge to unimaginable levels. Dr. Danielle Knafo, a renowned clinical psychologist and psychoanalyst, will explore the intriguing concept of A.I. as a new form of the unconscious. She will delve into how A.I. can already perform dream analysis beyond manifest content, demanding a new role for psychoanalysis in this technologically evolving world.
🔑 Key Learning Objectives:
1️⃣ Understand recent developments, risks, and dangers of A.I.
2️⃣ Grasp the immense impact of advanced technology on theories of individual development and relational life.
3️⃣ Appreciate how algorithms are the new unconscious and how psychotherapists must adapt to changes brought by A.I.
🎙️ About the Speaker:
Dr. Danielle Knafo is a former professor from LIU and the author of 10 books, including her latest “From Breakdown to Breakthrough: Psychoanalytic Treatment of Psychosis.” Her research covers art and creativity, trauma and psychosis, gender and sexuality, and the intersection of psychoanalysis and advanced technology

Empathy and Historical Understanding
2023-09-29 19:00 - 21:00
Empathy, for Kohut, always involves an awareness of difference, of the distinction between the empathizing self and the empathized other. Since empathy is decidedly not sympathy, we can and must—Dr. Kohut argues—empathize with people we find decidedly unsympathetic.
Dr. Kohut will demonstrate that history written from an empathic perspective, that is, from the perspective of the historical subject, is different from history written from the perspective of the observing historian. To illustrate this difference, he will consider the notorious Wannsee Conference of January 20, 1942, a key moment in the Nazi genocide of the Jews of Europe. He will conclude by emphasizing that historians and others seeking to know and understand human beings must be self-aware and self-reflective in their use of empathy, to constantly be aware of when they are empathizing and when they are not.
A historian with psychoanalytic training, Thomas Kohut is the Sue and Edgar Wachenheim III Professor of History at Williams College. From 2000 to 2006, Kohut served as dean of the faculty at Williams. He was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Austen Riggs Center for nearly twenty years and is currently a member of the Council of Scholars which advises the Erikson Institute at Riggs. Kohut is also president of the board of the Freud Foundation US, which supports the work of the Freud Museum in Vienna. Kohut is the author of three books, most recently, Empathy and the Historical Understanding of the Human Past. He has also published articles on a number of historical and psychological topics, including on the German humorist, Wilhelm Busch, on letters from German soldiers at the battle of Stalingrad, and on psychoanalysis and history.

How We Do This Work: The Analyst's Holding Environment (ON ZOOM)
2023-10-13 19:00 - 21:00
ON ZOOM
2 CE HOURS available for: NY Practitioners – LCSWs, LMSWs, LPs, LMFTs, LMHCs, LCATs, PHDs, PSYDs
Presented by:
Eric Mendelsohn, PhD
Location:
Zoom
About this event:
This talk has many points of origin. It is a highly personal statement of what I need and draw upon in doing this work and a summation of perspectives that have taken shape over nearly 50 years. At the same time it is a kind of letter, a conversation opener with you in which I seek to convey ideas that, despite their grounding in my history and personality, hopefully have utility and evocative reach for this community of colleagues.
These ideas grew more specifically out of a discussion paper I presented nearly ten years ago at a WCSPP conference. At that conference, therapists shared their experiences of working while undergoing personal hardships and spoke of how their life circumstances and the complexity of their personal psychology influence how they work. I argued that, over the course of our careers, we face losses, adversity, and a wide range of preoccupations. Further, our personal analyses notwithstanding, we remain complicated people. Given all that, it seems a minor miracle that we do good work. Yet, I maintain that, much of the time, we do. This talk will elaborate on this state of affairs. I will consider what we need to support and sustain us as working therapists.
My hope is that I can manage more talking with you than reading to you, and that the atmosphere that we create will encourage lively participation.
About the speaker: Eric Mendelsohn, PhD
Dr. Mendelsohn is Faculty and Supervisor at the Westchester Center for the Study of Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy, National Institute for the Psychotherapies, Training Institute and National Training Program, and Postgraduate Program in Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy, Adelphi University. Dr. Mendelsohn works with people in individual analytic therapy, with couples, serves as a supervisor/ consultant, and leads reading and supervision groups. His papers and book chapters deal with the patient-therapist relationship and with the subjective experience of the therapist.
Teaching Method: Lecture, Discussion and Q & A.
Learning Objectives:
1. Identify the ways in which our “therapist selves” may be differentiated from the selves we become in other relational contexts.
2. Identify the working conditions and relational traditions that constitute the analyst’s holding environment.
3. Delineate how our patients contribute to the analyst’s holding environment.
The Westchester Center for the Study of Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy is recognized by NY State Education Department’s Standard of Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for: Licensed Psychologists #PSY-0050; Licensed Clinical Social Workers #SW-0063; Licensed Psychoanalysts #P-0027; Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists #MFT-0040; Licensed Mental Health Counselors #MHC-0075; and Licensed Creative Arts Therapists #CAT-0028.
A completed survey must be submitted after the meeting for 2 CE hours.
Who should attend: Psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, psychoanalysts, other mental health professionals, nurses, graduate students.

Using Coaching Techniques To Help Clients Break Through Blocks
2023-10-25 19:00 - 21:00
Join us for a virtual event, “Psychoanalysis in Action at WCSPP: Using Coaching Techniques To Help Clients Break Through Blocks,” hosted by the Westchester Center for the Study of Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy (WCSPP).
Event Details:
Date: Wednesday, October 25, 2023
Time: 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Location: Live on Zoom
Presenter: Colin Beavan, Author, Coach, and Consultant
Cost: $25
Continuing Education (CE): Not Available for this Event
About the Presentation:
In this presentation, Colin Beavan, a sought-after personal and executive coach, will share his expertise on using coaching techniques to empower clients to overcome obstacles and embrace positive change. Drawing from his diverse background and extensive experience, Colin will explore the models, methods, and tools that can help you break through blocks and self-imposed limitations.
What to Expect:
-Gain insights into the similarities and differences between therapy and coaching, and how these approaches can complement each other.
-Explore practical tools rooted in somatics, humanistic psychology, and insights derived from years of Zen practice.
-Delve into various types of homework that emphasize action, relationship-based learning, and working with different aspects of yourself.
-Participate in engaging case discussions that highlight real-life breakthroughs achieved through coaching techniques.
-Experience an experiential component, allowing you to engage with select coaching techniques firsthand.
-Engage in an interactive session with opportunities for questions, discussions, and shared learning.
About the Presenter : Colin Beavan, PhD (Applied Physics)
Colin Beavan is a distinguished personal and executive coach, renowned author, and sought-after speaker. His journey of transformation gained international attention through his year-long lifestyle-redesign project, documented in the popular book “No Impact Man” and a Sundance-selected documentary film. Beyond his coaching work, Colin’s involvement as a former US House of Representatives candidate, founder of the No Impact Project, and advisory council member of various organizations speaks to his commitment to positive change. Colin’s diverse background and insights from Zen practice uniquely position him to guide others toward happiness and growth.
Note: Continuing Education (CE) credits are not available for this event.

WCSPP Film Night: "Close"
2023-11-03 19:30 - 21:30
2 CE Hours available to NYS LCSWs, LMSWs, LPs, LMFTs, LMHCs, LCATs, Psychologists and PsyDs
This film is available for viewing on Hulu, YouTube, or Google Play before the event.
Friday, November 3, 2023
7:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Admission with CE: $20
A discussion will be facilitated via ZOOM by
ROBERT GAINES, PhD & CARTER THORNTON, LCAT, LP
Co-Hosted by WCSPP’s Child, Adolescent, Parent Psychotherapy Training Program (CAPP)
THIS FILM PROVIDES A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO REFLECT UPON THE VULNERABILITY BOTH CHILDREN AND PARENTS FEEL AS THEY FACE CHANGING ELEMENTS OF PLAY, CONNECTION, SEXUALITY AND IDENTITY OVER THE COURSE OF THEIR DEVELOPMENT.
IT ALSO SHEDS LIGHT ON THE IMPACT OF DIFFERENT PARENTING STYLES AND THE MANY CHALLENGES TO PARENTAL ROLES IN A CULTURE CHALLENGED BY HARDSHIP AND GENDER CLICHES.
Robert Gaines, PhD, is a supervisor and faculty of the Child-Adolescent-Parent Program at WCSPP. He is faculty, supervisor and former director of the Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy Training Program, and supervising analyst of the adult psychoanalysis program at the William Alanson White Institute. He is in private practice in Larchmont, NY, working with all ages.
Carter Thornton, LCAT, LP, is a Psychoanalyst and Creative Arts Therapist in private practice in Westchester County, NY. He is a graduate of the Institute for Expressive Analysis, where he teaches, supervises, and has served on the board as Program Chair. He is also a visual artist and musician.
Co-Hosted by WCSPP’s Child, Adolescent, Parent Psychotherapy Training Program (CAPP)
Our two-year program weaves together the study of individual child & adolescent, and parent development through understanding the impact of psychological histories, relational patterns, intergenerational effects, and changing social contexts and constructs. Training is based on a psychodynamic, relational orientation to change, integrating parent guidance and advice as needed. We welcome all mental health practitioners, whether your work is exclusive to children & adolescents, primarily serves adults or some combination. We never forget that there is, after all, a child’s history within each adult and the challenge of growing within every child, adult, and parent. For more information on WCSPP’s CAPP program, visit out website at wcspp.org.
CONTINUING EDUCATION – 2 CE HOURS
Description of Teaching Method:
Attendees will access and watch the film prior to the event and come prepared for an introduction to the making of this autobiographical film, the life of its director, and formal presentation of thoughts generated by the film. Those thoughts will reference and expand upon psychosexual development, developmental stage theory, attachment theory, relational theory, and literature specific to boys development. This discussion will also include the challenges of separation-individuation, gender ideology, and the capacity for intimacy after loss.
Learning Objectives
1. Attendees will understand the psychosocial stages of development in greater depth.
2. Attendees will be able to increase ability to identify major challenges in the shift from childhood to adolescence.
3. Attendees will be able to identify changes in focus, love, and play during childhood and adolescence.
Costs, refunds, and cancellation policy: payment is organized through Eventbrite. Unlikely cancellations will be announced via email.
The Westchester Center for the Study of Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy is recognized by NY State Education Department’s State Board of Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Psychologists #PSY-0050; Licensed Clinical Social Workers #SW-0063; Licensed Psychoanalysts #P-0027; Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists #MFT-0040; Licensed Mental Health Counselors #MHC-0075; and Licensed Creative Arts Therapists #CAT-0028
A completed evaluation must be submitted at the end of the event.
Who should attend: NY Psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, psychoanalysts, other mental health (edited)

WCSPP Annual Conference: Language in Psychotherapy
2023-11-18 08:30 - 12:00
3 CE credits for most NY and CT Licenses (pending)
OVERVIEW: WCSPP’s November 2023 Conference showcases two new papers by noted thinkers writing today about psychoanalysis and language, Donnel Stern and Jeanine Vivona, whose biographies, including the range of their published work, appear below.
Language, imagination and the interpersonal Field
Paper presented by Donnel B. Stern, PhD
How should we describe the transformation of unformulated experience into language— not only into verbal language but also into the broader forms of meaning we can call semiotic (nonverbal imagery, meaningful enactive patterns and procedural representations)? Long ago (Stern, 1983, 1997), I described the crucial ingredient in this process as imagination. Now I revisit this subject, characterizing imagination as the preserver
of spontaneity, freshness and vitality in language, created by the freedom of the interpersonal field to take on configurations responsive to the affective needs of the field’s participants. I then argue that dissociative enactment can be understood as what Levenson calls “semiotic incompetence,” a failure of language or a compromise of “relational freedom” (Stern, 2015) reflecting constraints and stiffness within the field.
Experiencing imagination: The Birth of Meaning in Parent-infant Talk
Paper presented by Jeanine M. Vivona, PhD
We tend to think of language as an external system that we must use to convey our inner worlds. Yet, as Hans Loewald knew, language is also an inner system, one that is learned from particular others in specific lived moments, one that is idiosyncratic and imbued with personal history. Every person’s language enacts and conveys the ways that person has experienced the potentials of language for imagining and construing self and world. This deeply personal imagining of self and world is what we encounter when we engage in the therapeutic talking that is psychoanalysis.
In this paper, I explore the early roots of this idiosyncratic imaginative capacity of language as seen in the ways that parents speak with their infants. An exploration of both individual and cultural differences in early language experience enriches our understanding of the meanings that are inherent in psychoanalytic talking.

A Roadmap for Couple Therapy: Arthur Nielsen, MD
2023-12-01 19:00 - 21:00
2 CE Hours available for
NY Practitioners – LCSWs, LMSWs, LPs, LMFTs, LMHCs, LCATs, PHDs, PSYDsA Roadmap for Couple Therapy
Presenter:
Arthur Nielsen, MD
Live on Zoom!
Friday, December 1, 2023
7 – 9 pm
Admission including CE: $45

This webinar is live, real-time and interactive
Couple therapy is difficult for many reasons. Therapists must deal with two clients, often at war with each other, with differing psychologies, histories, agendas, and levels of commitment to therapy. Additionally, there are many schools of thought on how best to do couple therapy and relatively little guidance concerning how to choose among them. In this lecture, Professor Arthur Nielsen will summarize his textbook on couple therapy, A Roadmap for Couple Therapy: Integrating Systemic, Psychodynamic, and Behavioral Approaches.Using case histories, Dr. Nielsen will describe the core research-tested interventions used by the three main approaches to couple therapy (systemic, psychodynamic, and behavioral/educational) and show how to sequence and integrate them depending on the problems that couples present. The presentation will address issues of sequencing and choice between the myriad possible interventions now available.

Arthur Nielsen, M.D. is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Northwestern’s Feinberg School of Medicine, a faculty member at Northwestern’s Family Institute in Evanston, and a faculty member of the Chicago Institute for Psychoanalysis, where he is Associate Director of the Integrative Psychoanalytic Couple Therapy Program.Dr. Nielsen is the author of more than 40 professional papers and two textbooks: A Roadmap for Couple Therapy: Integrating Systemic, Psychodynamic, and Behavioral Approaches and Integrative Couple Therapy in Action: A Practical Guide for Handling Common Relationship Problems and Crises. He has lectured nationally and internationally, and has taught online courses on couple therapy to students in the US, Iran, and China. His website is: www.arthurnielsenmd.com.

The Couples Psychotherapy Training Program at WCSPP is a one-year course of study intended for mental health professionals who recognize the complexities and responsibilities of doing effective couples work. The program integrates contemporary psychoanalytic thinking with systems theory from a practice-oriented, clinical perspective. For information on WCSPP’s Couples Therapy Training Program, visit our website at wcspp.org/training.

CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR SCIENTIFIC MEETING – 2 CE HOURS

Teaching Method: Lecture and Interactive Discussion

Learning Objectives:

Participants will be able to cite the categories of couple therapy interventions—based on systems theory, psychodynamics, and relationship education—that have been shown effective individually in past research and clinical work.
Participants will be able to describe a roadmap for sequencing these categories of interventions.
Participants will be able to identify and work with the key psychodynamic targets for couple therapy: hidden issues, fears, and desires; transferences; and projective identification.

The Westchester Center for the Study of Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy is recognized by NY State Education Department’s State Board of Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Psychologists #PSY-0050; Licensed Clinical Social Workers #SW-0063; Licensed Psychoanalysts #P-0027; Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists #MFT-0040; Licensed Mental Health Counselors #MHC-0075; and Licensed Creative Arts Therapists #CAT-0028A completed survey must be submitted after the meeting for 2 CE hours.Who should attend: Psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, psychoanalysts, other mental health professionals, nurses, and graduate students.

An Antidote to Cynicism: One Approach to Spiritually Informed Psychotherapy
2023-12-04 19:00 - 21:00
Note: CE is Not Available for this Event
Presenter:
Rabbi Marcelo Bronstein,
Clinical Psychologist
Live on Zoom!
About the event:
Marcelo Bronstein, says “as a rabbi, I was the shrink, as a shrink I am the rabbi.” In this conversation with Aviva Gitlin, Rabbi Marcelo Bronstein will explore the intersection between Spirituality and Psychology. Marcelo will consider how ideas of mystery and awe can be seen as central to the therapeutic journey. He will show how he uses sacred mythology to tap into our deepest aspirations, our sense of perpetual exile and return, and our understanding of the human Psyche. Stories, ideas and case examples will be developed as a jumping off point for a spiritually informed practice.
About the Speaker:
Marcelo Bronstein, is a clinical Psychologist, Rabbi and Mindfulness facilitator. He has served as a senior Rabbi at Congregation B’nai Jeshurun in Manhattan for 24 years. In that role, he brought his passion for Jewish mindfulness to his congregation. Marcelo’s reverence for nature led him to move, together with his wife, Karina Zilberman, to “La Ecovilla,” in Costa Rica: a 21st century sustainable community that he now calls home. In addition, he has an online private practice as a therapist/life coach in Costa Rica, and he leads Jewish Mindfulness retreats.
Marcelo has served on the boards of health, ecology, interfaith, special needs, and social justice organizations in North America and abroad.
Despite his successful career, Marcelo in essence is a seeker. He never stopped learning and never will: He always looks for immersive experiences that put him in places of discomfort and growth. This has led him to do vision quests with native Americans, to take a spiritual trek in Nepal, to participate in the Hoffman Process for change, and to learn with Professor Otto Scharmer at MIT’s Presencing Institute and with educator and activist Parker Palmer at the Center for Courage and Renewal, among other trainings.

Psychedelics and Psychoanalysis (IN-PERSON AND ON ZOOM)
2023-12-09 09:00 - 14:30
Megan Rundel, PhD, Author of Psychedelic Psychoanalysis: Transformations of the Self
in conversation with WCSPP Faculty
Mark Finn, PhD
Aviva Gitlin, PsyD
Wade Anderson, PhD
& Community
Morning Presentation by
Megan Rundel, PhD, Supervising Analyst, Psychoanalytic Institute of Northern California; Zen Sensei at Crimson Gate Meditation Community

Admissions Open House
2024-02-07 20:00 - 21:00
WCSPP PLANS TO OFFER ONLINE LEARNING FOR THE 2024-2025 ACADEMIC YEAR.
CE credits will be offered for the coursework.
Financial aid is available to those who qualify.
Learn about our extensive training opportunities for Fall 2024 in:
*Advanced Psychoanalysis
*Foundations of Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
*Child, Adolescent, Parent Psychotherapy
*Couples Therapy
Join us to meet our program directors and ask questions of current candidates, graduates, and faculty.
Hear candidates discuss the transformational impact of training: deepening their work in agency settings and building/growing their private practices with the help of our collegial referral network.
Who is eligible and should apply?
Applicants must be licensed Masters or Doctoral-level mental health professionals: MD, PhD, PsyD, LCSW, NP, LMSW, LCAT, LMHC, LMFT

Love, "The Kiss" and Repair: Clara Thompson's Contributions to Relational Theory
2024-02-09 19:00 - 21:00
This presentation begins with a moving account of Clara Thompson’s
collaborative clinical work with the Hungarian psychoanalyst, Sandor Ferenczi.
The vignette sets the stage for understanding the revolutionary aspects of the
active and innovative work between Ferenczi and Thompson, and the
transformative clinical practice Thompson would go on to introduce to her
American colleagues.
Ann D’Ercole will draw from her biographical studies of Clara Thompson (see
below) and from notes from Ferenczi’s Clinical Diary (Dupont, 1988) to give
attendees a sense of the young Clara, her upbringing, and her professional
awakening. In this presentation, D’Ercole will focus on Thompson’s essay
writing to illuminate how this early psychoanalytic pioneer came to embrace the
dynamic interpersonal encounter between the patient and analyst. Those
essays are still relevant today.
Importantly, Thompson was critical of Freud’s views on women. She argued
against the inequality of women and men in society and began what we now
know as the study of gender and sexuality in psychoanalysis. Clara Thompson
deserves to be recognized for her pioneering role in American psychoanalysis
and for her prescient interpersonal contributions that led to the relational turn in
psychoanalytic theory and practice.
Ann D’Ercole, Ph.D. ABPP, Clinical Associate Professor of Psychology at NYU’s
Postdoctoral Program in Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis. She is
Distinguished Visiting Faculty at the William Alanson White Institute. She is
author of Clara M. Thompson’s Early Years and Professional Awakening: An
American Psychoanalyst (1893-1933) and Clara M. Thompson’s Professional
Evolution and Legacy: An American Psychoanalyst (1933-1958), Routledge,
2023. Co-Editor of Uncoupling Convention: Psychoanalytic Approaches to
Same-Sex Couples and Families (2004) and other essays.
Dr. D’Ercole received the APA, Div.39, SGI Award for Outstanding Contributions
to the Advancement of Sexualities and Gender Identities in Psychoanalysis and
the American Board and Academy of Psychoanalytic and Psychodynamic
Psychology book award for her contribution to Frie, R. & Sauvayre, P.
(eds). Culture, Politics, and Interpersonal Psychoanalysis: Breaking Boundaries,
Routledge, 2022 for her essay, Considering the Radical Contributions of Clara
Mabel Thompson. She is in private practice in New York City.

How Our Work As Therapists Changes Us As People
2024-02-21 19:00 - 21:00
Katonah Study Group joins WCSPP: How Our Work As Therapists Changes Us As People
Presented by: Andrew Klafter, MD
Moderated by: Mark Banschick, MD
2 CE HOURS available for:NY Practitioners – LCSWs, LMSWs, LPs, LMFTs, LMHCs, LCATs, PHDs, PSYDs
Based on 25 years of intensive psychotherapy work with patients and intensive supervision, training, and consultation with therapists, Dr. Klafter will describe his observations about how psychotherapists are affected by their relationships with their patients. Drawing on object relations theories of psychological development, Dr. Klafter will devote specific attention to the impact of a professional psychotherapy career on the therapist’s real-life interpersonal relationships, adult personality development, marriage and romantic relationships, parenting, political views, religious beliefs, and friendships.
Andrew Klafter, MD: Dr. Andrew Klafter is an adult and adolescent psychiatrist, psychotherapist, and psychoanalyst. He is director of the Advanced Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Training Program at the Cincinnati Psychoanalytic Institute, and also serves at Track Leader for the Technique Curriculum in their Analytic Training Program.
Dr. Klafter has served as a psychotherapy supervisor and lecturer at the University of Cincinnati Psychiatry Residency Training Program, where he is a six-time winner of the Golden Apple Teaching Award. Dr. Klafter is also a 2024 winner of the American Psychoanalytic Association’s Esther Sabshin Teaching Award for his innovative techniques in teaching about psychoanalytic theory and technique.
Dr. Klafter has led trainings and seminars in the U.S. and overseas. He has published on various topics related to psychoanalytic theory and technique, as well as the interface between psychoanalysis and religion. In his private life, Dr. Klafter is an accomplished photographer and musician, the proud father of four girls, proud father-in-law of one son-in-law, and recently became a grandfather.
Mark Banschick, MD is the co-founder of The Katonah Study Group for Integrative Medicine, now in its 25th year.
Dr. Banschick completed a residency in Psychiatry at Georgetown University and a Child Fellowship at New York-Presbyterian Medical Center. He is a contributor to Psychology Today with sixteen million readers to date – and author of The Intelligent Divorce book series.
Recently, Mark co-founded Alums for Campus Fairness promoting healthy dialogue on college campuses, with over 50,000 members representing 75 colleges.
Dr. Banschick works with children and adults in private practice in Stamford, CT.

Internal Family Systems (IFS): A Psychoanalytic Tool
2024-02-28 19:00 - 21:00
2 CE Hours available for
NY Practitioners – LCSWs, LMSWs, LPs, LMFTs, LMHCs, LCATs, PHDs, PSYD’s
INTERNAL FAMILY SYSTEMS (IFS) is a guided meditation technique that mirrors the main goals and aims of psychoanalysis. Richard Schwartz who developed the IFS technique noticed that if we are able to feel our feelings as physically embodied, we then have access to multiple feeling states and we are able access the thoughts, stories and ideas that accompany these feeling states.
Like Freud, IFS starts by examining defenses (IFS calls them ‘protectors’). The complete arc of IFS is then to explore what the defense is defending. Retrieving the underlying stories, beliefs and experiences that trigger our reactions, allows for freedom to re-examine the stories and ensuing beliefs.
In this two hour workshop, we will begin with the guided meditation and experience our own work with a part of ourselves. While the work is deeply personal, the following discussion will focus on the underlying theory of this visceral experience. Participants will be able to share as much or as little of their own experience in the group. This will provide a beginning introduction to work with IFS and incorporating it into your usual practice.

WCSPP Film Night: Past Lives
2024-03-01 19:30 - 21:30
2 CE Hours available to NYS LCSWs, LMSWs, LPs, LMFTs, LMHCs, LCATs, Psychologists and PsyDs
This film is available for viewing on Amazon, Google Play or Apple TV. Watch the movie before the event.
A discussion will be facilitated via ZOOM by Cara Maniaci, LCSW & Matthew Frankel, PhD, LCSW-R
This semi-autobiographical film provides intimate insight into a woman’s fractured development after leaving Korea as an adolescent. It is a visually compelling meditation on desire and longing as seen through the lens of racial identity and developmental trauma. The film is a reflection on the trauma of immigration, and the impact of traumatic loss on identity development.
Cara Maniaci, MA, LCSW, is a candidate in the Advanced Analytic Training Program at WCSPP. She is a graduate of the Stephen Mitchell Center for Relational Studies and the Couples Therapy Training Program at WCSPP. Cara has a private practice in Pleasantville, NY.
Matthew Cordova Frankel, PhD, LCSW-R is a candidate in the Advanced Analytic Training Program at WCSPP. He is a graduate of a number of programs in psychoanalytic psychotherapy at The William Alanson White Institute. He holds a doctorate in English Language and Literature from Northwestern University and is former faculty in the departments of English and Comparative Literature at The University of Rhode Island. Matt has a private practice in Forest Hills, NY.
Description of Teaching Method:
Attendees will access and watch the film prior to the event and come prepared for an introduction to the making of this film, the life of its director, and formal presentation of thoughts generated by the film. These thoughts will reference and expand on attachment theory, relational theory and literature pertaining to identity formation and split selves. This discussion will also touch on the challenges associated with immigration trauma and its impacts on interpersonal relationships.
Learning Objectives
1. Attendees will be able to describe the psychological development of the self and the creation of false self/selves.
2. Attendees will be able to identify major challenges in the shift from adolescence to adulthood.
3. Attendees will be able to articulate how the immigration experience effects identity formation.
Costs, refunds, and cancellation policy: payment is organized through Eventbrite. Unlikely cancellations will be announced via email.
The Westchester Center for the Study of Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy is recognized by NY State Education Department’s State Board of Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Psychologists #PSY-0050; Licensed Clinical Social Workers #SW-0063; Licensed Psychoanalysts #P-0027;Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists #MFT-0040; Licensed Mental Health Counselors #MHC-0075; and Licensed Creative Arts Therapists #CAT-0028
A completed evaluation must be submitted at the end of the event.
Who should attend: NY Psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, psychoanalysts, other mental health professionals, nurses, graduate students.

(Members only) 2024 Retreat: Mutual Awakening: Self-Narratives of Patient and Therapist
2024-03-08 08:00 - 2024-03-10 11:30 | IBM Learning Center, 20 Old Post Road, Armonk, NY, 10504, United States
(PA members only)
Keynote presentations:
The SELF in Contemporary Psychotherapy: Robert Katz, Ph.D.
The Emergence and Softening of Narrative in Psychotherapy: Eric Mendelsohn, Ph.D.
FOR MORE DETAILS, AS WELL AS WORKSHOP OPTIONS, PLEASE REFER TO THE BROCHURE YOU RECEIVED IN A SEPARATE EMAIL.

Foundations and Advanced Psychoanalytic Training Programs Open House
2024-03-13 20:00 - 21:00, 2024-04-28 11:00 - 12:00
*Advanced Psychoanalysis
*Foundations of Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
Join us to meet our program directors and ask questions of current candidates, graduates, and faculty.
Hear candidates discuss the transformational impact of training: deepening their work in agency settings and building/growing their private practices with the help of our collegial referral network.
WCSPP PLANS TO OFFER ONLINE LEARNING
FOR THE 2024-2025 ACADEMIC YEAR.
CE credits will be offered for the coursework.
Financial aid is available to those who qualify.
Who is eligible and should apply?
Applicants must be licensed Masters or Doctoral-level mental health professionals: MD, PhD, PsyD, LCSW, NP, LMSW, LCAT, LMHC, LMFT

Supervisory Training Program Open House
2024-03-17 12:00 - 13:00
Program Highlights:

One-year certificate program
Provide direct supervision to psychoanalytic candidates or graduates
Receive weekly supervision from a senior faculty member
Once-weekly classes via zoom on a trimester basis

Program Benefits:
Learn some benefits of joining this highly regarded program from graduates and instructors of the program such as:
Professional Development: Continuous learning and skill refinement
Mentorship: Guide and mentor emerging analysts
Deepening Understanding: Delve deeper into theory and practice
Joining a Warm Community: Where we welcome WCSPP graduates as well as those from other psychoanalytic institutes to learn in a collegial atmosphere.

Gender Dysphoria as Complicated Terrain for Kids, Parents, and Clinicians
2024-03-17 16:00 - 18:00
2 CE Hours available to NYS LCSWs, LMSWs, LPs, LMFTs, LMHCs, LCATs, Psychologists and PsyDs
Beginning with an exploration of the nature of gender as seen through the respective lenses of psychoanalysis, science and culture, Dr. Schwartz will offer a psychodynamic understanding of gender dysphoria and transgender identity. He will carefully examine the discourse underlying the gender-affirmative approach to gender dysphoria and highlight what he views as some of the significant clinical considerations associated with that model. Dr. Schwartz will conclude with an exploration of three cultural trends which he sees as the underexamined sources of the current prominence of gender dysphoria and transgender identity. These are: 1)the decline of optimism and hope, 2) the idealization of technology and 3) the upsurge of undifferentiated information.
David Schwartz, PhD is a psychologist and psychoanalyst in Westchester County. He received his doctorate in psychology from the City University of New York and his certificate in psychoanalysis from the Westchester Center for the Study of Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy. He has been writing about gender, sexuality and psychoanalysis for the past thirty-five years.

Couples Therapy Training Program Open House
2024-03-27 20:00 - 21:00, 2024-05-04 11:00 - 12:00
Our Couples Therapy Training Program is a one-year program which teaches both basic and advanced couples therapytechniques and theory with a combination of psychoanalytic and systems perspectives. Candidates are introduced to several different theoretical approaches including object relations and relational theory, self psychology, Bowenian theory and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) with emphasis on the clinical work with couples. We also discuss issues pertaining to LGBTQ relationships, divorce, cross cultural relationships, and substance abuse. In addition to the didactic instruction, weekly supervision is provided by senior faculty for cases seen through our Psychotherapy Service.
The Couples Therapy Training Program provides a solid introduction to couples work and provides an opportunity to join the warm, supportive community at our institute, build your referral network, and be exposed to the many and varied learning opportunities provided at WCSPP.
Who is eligible and should apply?
Applicants must be licensed Masters or Doctoral-level mental health professionals:
MD, PhD, PsyD, LCSW, NP, LMSW, LCAT, LMHC, LMFT
Financial Aid is available for those who qualify.
The Rosalind Cohen Scholarship fund will award two fully paid scholarships for course work and supervision to qualified applicants to WCSPP’s Couples Therapy Training Program.
CE hours available for some coursework for eligible NYS LCSW, LMSW, LMFT, LMHC,LCAT, LP and NYS Psychologists and CT Social Workers through NASW CT.
Timeline:
Rolling admissions with decisions made by July 30, 2024
Program begins September 2024
We will continue to be on Zoom for the 2024-2025 year.

CAPP Training Program Open House
2024-04-11 20:00 - 21:00
Our program weaves together the study of individual child & adolescent, and parent development through understanding the impact of psychological histories, relational patterns, intergenerational effects, and changing social contexts and constructs. Training is based on a psychodynamic, relational orientation to change, integrating parent guidance and advice as needed.
We welcome all mental health practitioners, whether your work is exclusive to children & adolescents, primarily serves adults or some combination. We never forget that there is, after all, a child’s history within each adult and the challenge of growing within every child, adult, and parent.
Who is eligible and should apply?
Applicants must be licensed Masters or Doctoral-level mental health professionals: M.D., Ph.D., Psy.D., LCSW, NP, LMSW, LCAT, LMHC, LMFT
Financial Aid is available for those who qualify.
CE hours available for some coursework for eligible NYS LCSW, LMSW, LMFT, LMHC,LCAT, LP and NYS Psychologists and CT Social Workers through NASW CT
Timeline:
Rolling admissions with decisions made by July 30, 2024
Program begins September 2024

Integrating Art and Drama Therapy in Traditional Talk Therapy Spaces
2024-04-29 19:00 - 21:00
2 CE Hours available for
NY Practitioners – LCSWs, LMSWs, LPs, LMFTs, LMHCs, LCATs, PHDs, PSYD’s
This workshop will include active engagement for participants and clinical case material as it explores what it means to add art and drama therapy interventions to more traditional talk therapy. Looking at the work through the lenses of psychodynamic and creative arts therapies, we will discuss accessible techniques such as storyboarding, blind contour drawing, art therapy assessments, and using movement in clinical practice.
Portions of the presentation will involve active art making (no experience required) and participants are invited to have some watercolor paint and paper, a few brushes, water, and some markers on hand.

Kristin Long, DPsa, RDT/BCT, LCAT, LP, is co-founder of Harris and Long Psychotherapy, an arts-based group practice. She has a full-time practice working with children, adolescents, families, and adults. Kristin is a faculty member and supervisor at The Institute for Expressive Analysis and at New York University. Dr. Long has also presented at many conferences on how to incorporate creative arts into traditional psychotherapy spaces.

Georgie Landy, LCAT, ATR-BC, is a licensed and board-certified creative arts therapist with a masters degree in Art Therapy from New York University. Her broad training is in trauma-informed care. She is a senior therapist at Harris and Long Psychotherapy in New York City, and has presented internationally on creativity in therapy.

CONTINUING EDUCATION – 2 CE HOURS
Teaching Method: Seminar-style Zoom presentation
Learning Objectives:
After this presentation participants will be able to:
1. Describe three techniques using creative arts interventions within the psychoanalytic frame.
2. Describe a case example from the presentation in which psychodynamic and creative arts therapy approaches have been utilized; and describe how psychoanalytic and CAT approaches enhance and expand a treatment case described in the presentation.
3. Describe one clinical case of their own in which specific creative modalities could be applied towards clinical goals. Explain how clinical goals of a treatment case can be attained combining psychoanalytically informed methods with creative modalities.

CAPP Open House
2024-05-01 20:00 - 21:00

WCSPP 50th Anniversary Celebration
2024-05-05 17:00 - 21:00
WCSPP 50th Anniversary Gala
Two options:
1) buy a ticket and mail a check to WCSPP, 1889 Palmer Avenue, Suite 6, Larchmont, NY 10538 (avoids eventbrite fees)
2) buy a ticket and pay through eventbrite on credit card
Sorry, no “plus ones”–event is for past and present WCSPP members
Your name will be on the list at the door.
Questions? Contact Lisa Dunleavy assistant@wcspp.org
