ALUMNI GROUP

HOPE, DISILLUSIONMENT, AND RECOVERY:

PSYCHIC LOSS AND MOURNING

A Clinical Conference

We typically think of grief and mourning work in reaction to physical losses, but the process of mourning is relevant to any form of significant disillusionment of expectant hopes. Indeed, we can refer to such losses as psychic loss. I will describe how such psychic losses are insidious and often interfere with the developmental pathway from childhood to adulthood. More specifically, I will describe how counterphobic defenses against hope, designed to circumvent future psychic losses, are a means of covering up shame rather than mourning previous traumatic experiences. This presentation then will delineate developmental experiences of hope and disillusionment, counterphobic defenses against hoping for too much, of psychic loss, and a mourning process that allows individuals to recover access to their embodied hopes.

Learning objectives:

After attending the conference in its entirety, participants will be able to:

1. Explain how psychic loss is constituted by expectant hope and disillusionment.

2. Describe how counterphobic defenses against hope are designed to preempt the possibility of future disillusionment.

3. Explain how the process of mourning helps a person recover access to disillusioned hopes that were previously covered up.

References

Shabad, P. (2010). The suffering of passion: Metamorphoses and the embrace of the stranger. Psychoanalytic Dialogues 20: 710–729.

Shabad, P. (2006). To expose or to cover up: Human vulnerability in the shadow of death. Contemporary Psychoanalysis, 42(3), pp. 413-436.

Shabad, P. (1993). Repetition and incomplete mourning: The intergenerational transmission of traumatic themes. Psychoanalytic Psychology 10(1), 61-75.

Continuing Education Accreditation

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of American Psychoanalytic Association and Center for Psychoanalytic Studies. 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 [number of credits] AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

The Center for Psychoanalytic Studies (sponsor number CS1391) is approved by the Texas State Board of Examiners of Social Worker Examiners to offer continuing education units to the social workers.

The Center for Psychoanalytic Studies (CE Provider Number 379) is approved by the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors to offer continuing education credit to licensed professional counselors.

The Center for Psychoanalytic Studies (Continuing Education Provider Number 340) is approved by the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists to provide continuing education activities for marriage and family therapists.

The Center for Psychoanalytic Studies maintains responsibility for the program.

IMPORTANT DISCLOSURE INFORMATION FOR ALL LEARNERS: None of the planners and presenters for this educational activity have relevant financial relationship(s)* to disclose with ineligible companies* whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.

*Financial relationships are relevant if the educational content an individual can control is related to the business lines or products of the ineligible company.

Updated July 2021