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    Adult and Child Curriculum

    Case Conference

    Maureen Murphy, Ph.D
    This year long case conference with a very experienced,senior clinician uses a psychoanalytic focus to discuss cases presented by interns. An intern presents for four weeks in a row initially presenting backround material and then three weeks of process notes. An emphasis is placed on intergrating clinical material and theoretical ideas into the therapeutic work.
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    Crisis Intervention

    Louise Bertman, Ph.D
    This six week course addresses assessment and diagnostic issues. There is a focus on suicide and violence assssment (including prevalence, incidence ,risk factors, co- morbidity, and intervention). A 4-8 week crisis model is presented including theoretical and conceptual underpinnings to crisis intervention work.
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    Working With Couples

    Shelly Nathans,Ph.Dd
    This year-long course is an introduction to the theoretical principles of psychoanalytic couples therapy using an object relations point of view including Klein, Bion, Britton, Kernberg, and the work of the Tavistock Center for Couple Relations. The psychoanalytic frame, transference, countertransference, projective identification, the shared unconscious and interpretation to the couple will be discussed. Particular attention will be given to Bion’s concept of container and contained, and the notion of the third as it applies to couples psychotherapy. The course will also introduce readings on special topics, including gay and lesbian relationships, infidelity, and domestic violence.
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    Brief Psychotherapy

    Hanna Levenson
    The Brief Therapy Program is a five hours per week commitment. As part of the class, each intern is assigned to evaluate and treat one patient for a maximum of twenty weeks. The model followed is time-Limited Dynamic Psychotherpy (TLDP),which focuses on transference- countertransference reenactments in the treatment of people with cronic, dysfunctional ways for relating to others. Each session is videotaped. In this way trainees not only are able to see the process of brief dynamic therapy with their own individual patients,but also to observehow the process is generalized to other patient therapist dyads. the Class also includes aweekly one hour didactic seminar on the theory and technique of brief dynamic approches.
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    Woman's Mental Health and Wellness

    Various Speaker
    The Department of Psychiatry has progressed towards its vision of developing a premier women’s mental health service by building significant programmatic infrastructure and beginning to provide clinical services for underserved and high-risk women with specific perinatal mental health needs. The program includes the development of perinatal psychiatry clinical services, provider training, and increasing linkages, referrals, and hence, access to care, for women being seen in other departments within CPMC. Interns and fellows attend a year-long seminar on a variety of topics related to women’s mental health during the perinatal period and provide outpatient psychotherapy to women in all stages of maternity.
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    Play, Pause, Fast Forward, Rewind, Stop: Therapeutic Action Within the Vicissitudes of the Therapeutic Relationship

    Drew Tilltoson, Psy.D.
    In this seminar we will look at different aspects of therapeutic action, the aims of treatment and aspects of our technique. The thrust of the course will be predominantly clinical. We will review literature dealing with the concept of therapeutic action, and literature devoted to the therapeutic relationship in an attempt to examine various clinical phenomena and our responses to them. We will look at character structure and think together about how to speak (or not to speak) to the patient’s (and our own) psychic experience. Interwoven into this, we will explore the therapeutic relationship, what it means to hold a patient in our minds, when breakdowns/impasse/enactments occur and how we navigate this often complicated terrain. We will discuss in depth what produces (or does not produce) change in the process of clinical work and what are we actually doing and saying with our patients that can be used by them for growth. I will offer clinical vignettes and will invite you to share your own to highlight and contextualize what we are learning.
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    Developmental Considerations in Psychotherapy with Gay Men

    Gary Grossman, Ph.D.
    This seminar will present a contemporary psychoanalytic perspective for working with gay men in psychotherapy. The essentialist perspective on gender identity and sexual orientation inherent in traditional psychoanalytic theory will be critiqued. Recent psychoanalytic contributions addressing gay male experiences will also be reviewed, with an emphasis on highlighting important developmental milestones. The implications of psychoanalytic theory for gay patients will be examined in the course readings and through clinical illustrations, with particular attention to transference and countertransference. Students will be encouraged to share clinical material.
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    Technical Approaches: Comparing Psychoanalytic Clinical Theories through Critical Readings of Key Papers on Technique

    Beth Steinberg, Ph.D.
    In this course, we will approach psychoanalytic clinical theory through close readings of seminal papers on technique. Reading one paper per week, we will attend to the underlying assumptions in each paper and to their implications for technique. We will try to address such questions as: What are the implied or stated goals of treatment in this paper? What is the theory of how a person changes through treatment implied in this paper? What is the theory of development? What are the underlying assumptions about what it means to be a person in this paper? What are the actual technical implications and what does this actually mean one does with one’s patients? The goal of this course is: 1) to gain a deeper, richer understanding of different psychoanalytic clinical theories and their fundamental differences; 2) to increase our ability to make use of different technical approaches with our patients; and 3) to improve our ability to think, listen and read critically – a skill that is useful for our clinical work as well as for our learning. The class format will include close reading in class and active discussion among students and the instructor. Participants will contribute to class discussion through thinking critically, posing questions and offering clinical vignettes.
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    Living Creatively: Winnicott’s Conceptualization of Creativity and the Clinical Situation

    Genie Dvorak, Psy.D.
    What does it mean to live creatively? Winnicott’s ideas about creativity have much to offer both in terms of how we understand creative activity in general and in the clinical encounter. In this course we will examine the underpinnings of Winnicott’s unique conceptualizations of creativity including play, illusion, transitional space, and aggression. We will work to develop a clearer understanding of these ideas and consider how we might apply them clinically. Participants are invited to reflect on and discuss clinical vignettes from their work with patients which illustrate these concepts.
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    Re-Reading Freud: Critical Papers/Contemporary Relational and Intersubjective Psychoanalysis

    Neil Talkoff, Ph.D.
    This class looks at the evolution of Freud's metapsychology and theories of technique from the vantage point of contemporary American psychoanalysis. This course is a critical review of the evolution of intersubjective theories, and a critical comparison of relevant technique.
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    Developing Conviction as a Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist

    Zenobia Grusky, Ph.D.
    What do we understand about the rational and irrational feelings behind our belief in the psychoanalytic method and its helpfulness for a particular patient? What experiences bring therapist and patient to that unique understanding which is necessary to begin psychoanalytic work? This course will discuss how an attitude of conviction about analysis or psychoanalytic psychotherapy may or may not be communicated in the early stages of treatment and the impact that has on the work that follows.
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    Gender Seminar

    Erin Mullen, Ph.D.
    This seminar explores contemporary responses to Freud’s paradoxical legacy on the topic of gender. We introduce the conflict between essentialist versus constructivist views, and suggest that gender seems to operate in the transitional space between reality and fantasy, and between body, mind and culture. Following this we explore both male and female gender identity development. We take up the important questions: How is gender integrated into a sense of self? How is gender related to desire? How are loss and mourning involved in developing a sense of gender identity? How stable or fluid is gender identity? We move to the topic of transgender which highlights the grey areas in our thinking on this topic and challenges us to expand our theory to embrace gender non-normativity. Case material is integrated throughout the course. Readings include Harris, Fast, Butler, Klein, Ogden and Corbett.
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    Evaluation Conference

    Janos Zahajszky, M.D
    This weekly case presentation format reviews recent intakes with an emphasis on differential diagnosis and case formulation. Psychology interns and psychiatric residents take this course together and learn how to give a medical model case presentation.
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    Group Psychotherapy: Theory and Practice

    Walter Stone, M.D.
    This course studies group therapy from a psychodynamic/psychoanalytic perspective. The focus is on understanding group dynamics (roles, boundaries, group-as-a-whole, development, leadership and followership functions) as they contribute to the group process including intrapsychic and interpersonal unconscious. The basic course contains two parts in each session: an experiential portion, led by the instructor, and a review of assigned readings, linking the theoretical concepts to the experiences in the group. When the student group is 12 or more, the group is divided into two portions, in which half participate as the experiential group and the other half as observers. This provides differing perspectives of the experience and deepens the learning for the students. The leader makes an effort to illustrate decision points, and helps students examine potential transference and countertransference elements as they emerge in the discussion. An additional portion of the training is weekly supervision for those who conduct outpatient groups. The emphasis in both portions is to help students develop their own styles as self-reflective clinicians, aware of their own processes as well as those occurring in the interactions among members and the leader.
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    On the Couch: Psychoanalytic Perspectives on Drug and Alcohol Use and Abuse

    J. Marc Wallis, L.C.S.W.
    This seminar takes an integrative approach to conceptualizing, assessing and intervening with substance use problems. Initially we will establish an integrative framework for our approach to substance use and substance using patients, by discussing fundamentals of descriptively assessing substance use, distinguishing between various levels of use, and the interplay of multiple theoretical positions. Along the way, we will note important contributions adjacent to psychoanalysis. We will also consider when and how to make use of collateral treatments (e.g., self-help programs, out-patient and residential treatment programs), as well as the sequential or periodic use of “non-analytic” modes of intervention. With an aim to balance the theoretical and the practical, we will read an article each week, interspersed with discussion of relevant clinical material. Contributions from psychoanalysis will include articles from an analyst author each week, and will be central to our approach to clinical material. As there is no one psychoanalysis, there is no one psychoanalytic theory of addiction. Rather, I’ll present ideas from various theoretical positions for us to consider, apply, and play with.
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    Melanie Klein – Selected Concepts and Clinical Applications

    Paula Mandel, Ph.D.
    In this course we study core concepts in Klein's theory, such as internal object relations, the paranoid/schizoid and depressive positions, the early Oedipus, envy, and countertransference, using Klein's own seminal papers and the papers of later theorists who explain and expand on her work. We also study Fairbairn's view of the object, to compare and contrast different ways the object can be understood. Through discussion and clinical vignettes we attempt to bring the theory alive, while leaving maximal room to question and challenge ideas. In this way, ideas may be synthesized by students in a way which is personally meaningful and useful.
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    Grand Rounds

    Various speakers
    This weekly event includes speakers from all over the country who come to speak on their area of expertise. This includes a formal presentation with time for questions and is attended by interns, residents, faculty and many local professionals in the mental health community.
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    Health Psychology Seminar

    Jeremy Bornstein, Psy.D./Various Speaker
    This seminar an introduction to theory, research, and clinical applications of the reciprocal relationships between physical health, behavior, and mental processes. Interns will become familiar with some of the fundamental areas of concern in health psychology and the primary concepts, theories, research and applications in these areas. Interns will receive focused training on clinical interventions to be used with medical patients via didactics and a clinical case conference format.
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    Psychopharmacology

    Janos Zahajszky, M.D.
    This is a four-session overview of the most commonly used medication in psychiatry. Interns learn about the four main classes of medication including anti-depressants, anti-anxiety, anti-psychotic, and mood stabilizers. Interns learn about the reasons for use and the common side effects.
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    Career Paths in Psychology

    Sharon Tyson, Ph.D.
    This 12-week course takes a look at professional life after training and prepares interns to think about employment opportunities and private practice. Obtaining a psychological assistantship, licensure, starting an independent practice, fee setting, and generating referrals are some of the topics reviewed. Job opportunities at Kaiser, community mental health, schools, and other settings are discussed. Various speakers come in to share their career decisions and to help interns learn about the broad options available to them as clinical psychologists.
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    Chief’s Rounds

    David Goldberg, M.D.
    The course meets once a month and consists of clinical case presentations by interns and residents. Clinical information is presented with a specific clinical question or topic associated with the patient material. The focus of discussion includes diagnostic assessment with dynamic formulations, determination of realistic treatment goals, and use of process notes to talk about technique.
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    Child Therapy Theory and Technique

    Kathleen Fahrner, Ph.D.
    The focus of this course is on the theory and technique of working with children, emphasizing play therapy and collateral work with parents. Developmental and object relations theory are highlighted. Extensive training in sandtray technique is an adjunctive part of this course.
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    Child Psychotherapy Case Conference

    Karen Lovdahl, Ph.D.
    The Child Psychotherapy Case Conference meets weekly from September through June and is an intensive, psychodynamically-based seminar which emphasizes principles of individual child play therapy, effective collateral work with parents, and case management issues. Each trainee presents at least one ongoing case, usually for six to eight weeks, based on process notes or audiotape. Active discussion of case presentations within a supportive group context is a key part of the seminar.
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    Topics in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

    Robert Root, M.D.
    Lectures and case vignettes provide an introduction to clinical evaluation of child and adolescent psychiatric disorders. Various diagnostic categories including ADHD, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, adolescent substance abuse, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, PDD, eating disorders, and disruptive behavior disorders are discussed. Evaluation using a bio-psychosocial model, an overview of children development, and special topics in child and adolescent psychiatry are reviewed.
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    School-Based Psychotherapy Case Conference

    Audrey Dunn, L.C.S.W.
    This course blends didactic material and case presentations using a psychodynamic theory. There is special consideration given to the application of the unique aspects of seeing clients in the school environment and special attention is paid to multicultural issues and the realities of urban life.

    Curriculum subject to change.
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