Event Description:
What if the most important perspective in psychoanalysis is the one we rarely hear? Lay patients—those without theoretical training or professional community—make up the vast majority of analysands, yet their authentic voices remain largely absent from our field’s discourse. Unlike analyst-patients who can contextualize their experience through theory and collegial exchange, lay patients navigate analysis without a map. Their accounts offer raw, unfiltered insights into what truly matters in the therapeutic encounter—insights with the potential to transform our understanding of the analytic process.
This talk invites attendees to join a pioneering project exploring the place and value of patient narrative in psychoanalytic discourse. Together we’ll consider excerpts from Joan K. Peters’ own memoir Untangling: A Memoir of Psychoanalysis, alongside narratives she is collecting for a forthcoming special issue of Psychoanalytic Inquiry on The Patient Experience. The unique data you’ll hear marks a striking departure from the “nightmare analyst” novels of popular culture—which we’ll briefly review—as well as the handful of accounts written by analysts in the early years of the profession.
By the end of the discussion, we will reflect on whether granting patients their own voice can deepen our understanding of the intersubjective relationship emphasized by Winnicott, Kohut, and others, and advance the vision of true “two-person therapy” articulated by Jay Greenberg and Stephen Mitchell in The Relational Revolution.
Registration/Attendance Process: This is a hybrid event and preregistration is required.By registering for this event, all participants agree to abide by SDPC’s in-person and online meeting policies, including confidentiality, ethical conduct, and respectful participation. Failure to follow these guidelines may result in removal from the event and may be subject to disciplinary and/or legal action.
- Register by clicking the registration button. You will receive a confirmation by email with details about the event.
- We will have a list of registrants and will check you off. You may also pay at the door. Preregistration is preferred.
- Verify attendance by signing in on the attendance sheet at in-person events. If attending online, participants must list full name under your video image to allow the Continuing Education Manager to confirm your attendance.
- Participants must have their cameras on at the beginning and the end of the event to receive credit. Note: partial attendance of a CE/CME activity will not be awarded CE/CME credit.
Accommodations & Grievances
- If you need special accommodations to attend this event, please contact the Event Coordinator.
- For any grievances or issues, please contact the Continuing Education Manager for any grievances.
By registering for this event, all participants agree to abide by SDPC’s in-person and online meeting policies, including confidentiality, ethical conduct, and respectful participation. Failure to follow these guidelines may result in removal from the event and may be subject to disciplinary and/or legal action.
Please note: This event may be recorded for educational purposes. Participants are requested to have their cameras on for CME credit. If you do not wish to be recorded, please be aware that your image and voice may be captured as part of the event.
When
Where
CEUs
Cost
Educational Objective(s)
- Discuss the challenges for patients undergoing analysis in the absence of an analytic A community or theoretical foundation that most candidates/analysts have.
- Develop a practice of writing about their own analyses to further their own and their patients’ growth.
Presenter Information
Presenter information:
Joan K. Peters is a Professor Emeritus of Literature and Writing at California State University at Channel Islands. She is the author of a novel, two books on working mothers, and Untangling: A Memoir of Psychoanalysis (Roman and Littlefield, 2/2025). Living in California with her husband and their dogs and chickens, she continues to write about psychoanalysis on her blog and discuss it on podcasts. She’s presented a talk on “Memoir and Psychoanalysis” at last winter’s APsA meeting and will participate in a panel discussion about her book at this coming one. Her book is available in kindle and hardcover on Amazon and Barnes and Nobles.
CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION ACCREDITATION
The San Diego Psychoanalytic Center (SDPC), is proud to offer CME credit to Physicians, Nurse Practitioners, Psychologists and Social Workers. These CME credits will usually satisfy requirements for Social Worker and Psychologist CEUs. However, clinicians should consult their state licensing boards for final approval. Please see the CE/CME credits page for more information.
Continuing Education certificates of attendance will be awarded electronically in exchange for a completed evaluation form. For refund policies or cancellations, please visit our policies page. Any other questions, contact the SDPC Continuing Education Manager.
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CMA Accreditation Statement: The San Diego Psychoanalytic Center is accredited by the California Medical Association (CMA, provider #4001214) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. |
AMA Credit Designation Statement: The San Diego Psychoanalytic Center designates this Continuing Education activity for a maximum of 2 hours AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™️. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
CAMFT Accreditation: The San Diego Psychoanalytic Center (SDPC) is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT) as a continuing education provider, (#050121), to offer Category 1 credit for LMFT’S, LCSW’S, LPCC’S and LEP’S. SDPC as required by the California Board of Behavior Sciences. SDPC maintains responsibility for this course program and all of its content.
Psychologists: SDPC is also approved as a Continuing Education Provider by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences, Provider number PCE#794, to offer Category 1 credit for LCSWs, MFTs, and Registered Nurses, Provider Numbers CEP#4940. The California Board of Psychology accepts the Category 1 CE credits from the CMA. Acceptance of the CE credits for this activity is at the discretion of the licensing board. Psychologists are responsible for reporting their individual attendance to the Board of Psychology. All attendees are responsible for keeping their certificate of attendance for personal records.
IMPORTANT DISCLOSURE INFORMATION FOR ALL LEARNERS: None of the planners and presenters of this CME program has any relevant financial relationships to disclose.
The San Diego Psychoanalytic Center (SDPC) CME Committee has reviewed the materials for accredited continuing education and has determined that none of the planners and presenters for this 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. This activity is not related to the product line of ineligible companies and therefore, the activity meets the exception outlined in Standard 3: ACCME's identification, mitigation, and disclosure of relevant financial relationships. This activity does not have any known commercial support.
*Financial relationships are relevant if the educational content that an individual can control is related to the business lines or products of the ineligible company.
Statement of Commitment: San Diego Psychoanalytic Center does not discriminate in employment and in its educational programs and activities, including admission or access thereto, on the basis of race, national origin, color, creed, religion, sex, age, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, and gender identity.
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The San Diego Psychoanalytic Center is affiliated with the American Psychoanalytic Association (APsA), the International Psychoanalytic Association (IPA), and the organization of Southern California Psychoanalytic Institutes and Societies.
The San Diego Psychoanalytic Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.