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This paper uses systems psychodynamic concepts to develop theory about the persistence of racial inequality in U.S. organizations and to inform an approach for disrupting it. We treat White men as the dominant group and Black people as the archetypal subordinate group in U.S. society. In our theory, work contexts that conflate merit with idealized images of White masculinity provoke unconscious distress in White men who aspire to meet those ideals. An unconscious, multilevel defense system, comprising projective identification at the individual level bolstered by a social defense at the organization level, keeps this distress at bay. This system diverts attention away from the real culprit—work contexts that threaten White men's self-worth—by contriving and making credible a substitute problem—a shortage of "qualified" Black people. At the same time, the social defense fuels the very work contexts that pose threats to White men in the first place. The upshot is the persistence of racial inequality. We offer guidance on how to disrupt these dynamics by building mutually reinforcing holding environments where organization members can engage in intrapsychic and intergroup reparative work. We conclude by offering theoretical contributions to the literatures on race, organizational inequality, systems psychodynamics, and masculinity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All contemporary psychotherapies agree that (failing) emotion regulation is central to psychological disorders and that psychotherapy is about improving emotion regulation. In his research on the "emotion‐laden" complex Jung put an emphasis on the role of failing emotion regulation in contributing to psychological disorders as well as to change in the process of psychotherapy, but he left this field of research and took a very different direction in favour of his archetype concept. Psychodynamic approaches generally argue that changes in emotion regulation are accomplished through corrective emotional experiences in the therapeutic relationship. Insights from affective neurosciences and attachment research have had a major influence on how the therapeutic relationship is constructed in contemporary psychodynamic approaches. There is a lack of similar developments in analytical psychology, which leads to substantial differences between the models of Jungian psychotherapy in contrast to other contemporary psychodynamic approaches. The implications of these differences for the practice of psychotherapy and especially the role of the therapeutic relationship are pointed out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the intricate relationship between smartphone usage and mental health and the unintended consequences of the rapid integration of this technology into daily life. It explores the ways in which smartphones disrupt opportunities for introspection and self-reflection, decrease engagement in external reality, increase engagement with realities of the virtual world, precipitate ego destabilization, and interfere with sleep and dreaming. The author explores ways in which the split between the real self and the ideal self is impacted by social media. The influence of smartphones on mental health is a complex and evolving issue, demanding ongoing research, understanding, and a heightened awareness of the potentially deleterious consequences of overusing technology in our ever-changing world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conflict between Israelis and Palestinians has been ongoing for decades, with no solution in sight. In view of both the global situation and the changing priorities of various key political players, this conflict has no longer been at the forefront of the media agenda in recent years. Since Hamas' bloody attack on Israel on 7 October 2023 and the invasion of the Gaza Strip by Israeli forces, this conflict has once again become the focus of political and media interest. The escalation and the new dimension of violence with the Hamas attack bring to light psychological forces that become clearer and more accessible to analysis in the face of the escalation of war. Using current events as an example, this essay attempts to understand the psychodynamics of this never-ending conflict, exploring the psychological and psychosocial functions at work perpetuating mutual animosity and thus the distance from peace and activating a recurring re-traumatization of two population groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wearing of a headscarf and the veiling especially of the female face or the whole body is a universal phenomenon that occurs in different eras and in different regions and cultures. Today, wearing a headscarf has become a symbol of Islam, especially in Western countries, and is often met with Islamophobic rejection. In our study, using a qualitative interview, we questioned 25 young Muslim women of Turkish origin (between 18 and 25 years old, n = 25) living in Germany about their reasons for wearing or not wearing a headscarf and their experiences on account of this decision. The majority (n = 16) of the predominantly academically educated female participants do not wear a headscarf, primarily for reasons of female attractiveness, an internalized religiosity, and as an expression of the disintegration of the family hierarchy. All female respondents (n = 7) from families with divorced parents do not wear headscarves, while for the other female respondents (n = 9) who do not wear headscarves, the family seems to have a more liberal mindset. Reasons for wearing a headscarf are especially a religious attachment to Islam, fashionable self-confidence, and the wish to combine Western emancipation with the traditional dress code (in the form of a hybrid identity). These findings are considered against the background of a psychoanalytic reading of the Quranic suras on veiling (according to F. Benslama) and the Lacanian dialectic of the imaginary and symbolic phallus. The diversity of personal reasons can be described with the concept of a heterogeneous subjectivity, which arises from the clash of Western secular and Turkish-Islamic notions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although many organizations value leadership across levels, individuals are reluctant to step up and lead. We explore how anticipated image risk (i.e., individuals' beliefs that the act of leading might harm their image with others) and lay beliefs about leadership ability (i.e., that this ability is fixed versus malleable) may diminish individuals' endorsement of a leader identity and thus their leadership emergence. Across MBA consulting teams, supervisor–employee dyads, and virtual workers, we find that lay theories of leadership ability moderate the negative relationship between anticipated image risk in leadership and leader-identity endorsement, which affects subsequent leadership emergence (Study 1). Using qualitative survey data, Study 2 identifies three specific image concerns that individuals associated with leading: seeming bossy, seeming unqualified, and seeming different from one's peers. Study 3 tests whether a newly developed measure of three specific image risks similarly predicts leader-identity endorsement and emergence. Last, in Study 4 we experimentally manipulate the anticipation of image risk to show its causal impact on leader-identity endorsement and emergence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South Africa cannot ignore the far-reaching influence of its colonial and apartheid history on the psychological functioning of its people. Psychotherapy as a fundamental psychological intervention approach cannot ignore its evolving history as the architect of the social psyche and of an individual's psychological functioning. With regards to psychodynamic psychotherapy, the literature has lamented this therapeutic approach's lack of consideration of the impact of the colonial and apartheid historical trauma on the prevailing sociocultural and mental health challenges. The crux of this article is to address this epistemological lacuna, by arguing for the integration of psychodynamic theory with cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) for application in therapeutic processes. The article further posits that this integration needs to be introduced in training programmes for student psychotherapists who, as in the case of South Africa, are themselves the descendants of the generation that was exposed to historical trauma of colonialism and apartheid and are living with latent transgenerational trauma. To create a suitable foundation for the integration of psychodynamic theory and CHAT in psychotherapeutic practice, there is a need to apply critical pedagogical strategies in the training programmes of psychotherapists. Thus, this article further highlights the possibilities of employing critical pedagogical principles that incorporate ontological reflection, pedagogic discomfort, troubled knowledges, mutual vulnerability, strategic empathy, and compassion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated the impact of COVID-19 on the demand of Spanish psychologists for videoconferencing (VC) treatment of depression during the first wave of the pandemic. Fifty-four psychologists participated and completed an online survey to compare psychotherapy provided before and after the pandemic. Results showed that CV-treated depression increased significantly by 80.3% and had an overall relative risk (RR) of 4.4 (95%, CI: 3.1-6.1) for increasing during the first months after the outbreak compared with before the pandemic. Specifically, the therapy with the greatest increase in demand according to RR was systemic (10.10), followed by cognitive-behavioral (4.0), eclectic (3.7), humanistic (3.3), so-called "third generation" therapies (3.1), and psychodynamic (1.0). These results suggest the importance of the new approach based on nonface-to-face classic therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

La solitudine rappresenta un rischio sostanziale per la salute e in quanto tale è attualmente al centro di studi empirici. Le ricerche che si concentrano sul tema della solitudine prendono spesso in esame una fascia di età avanzata, dal momento che, in questa fase della vita, sono riscontrabili alcuni fattori specifici di rischio particolarmente marcati. Allo stesso tempo va sottolineato che la solitudine non è un fattore universale, né un problema che riguarda esclusivamente gli anziani: infatti, può colpire persone di tutte le fascie di età, con un picco iniziale nella giovane età adulta. A livello scientifico, la solitudine è definita come una sensazione emotiva negativa. Questa sensazione è legata sia a tratti individuali della personalità sia a circostanze situazionali. Nel corso della vita questo sentimento può presentare diversi contesti ed essere influenzato da cambiamenti relativi al bisogno di interazioni sociali e dalle relazioni, eventi critici, percezioni positive/negative dell’età o modi di vedere le persone anziane, nonché dalla storia dello sviluppo del singolo, comprese le esperienze relazionali interiorizzate. A prescindere dal livello socio-strutturale, la solitudine può essere oggetto di attenzione anche in psicoterapia; gli interventi psicoterapeutici possono concentrarsi su diversi aspetti tra quelli sopra citati per alleviarne l’intensità e supportare le persone colpite. Vi rientrano, ad esempio, la gestione di desideri contrastanti (ad es. auto sufficienza e assistenza) nel contesto di eventuali perdite di persone a causa dell’avanzare dell’età e il rafforzamento delle risorse psico-sociali degli anziani. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article combines current grief research with maps of transactional analysis and shows possible topics in the counselling and support of bereaved people. Based on a case history, the author describes the course of grief counselling after a traumatic loss. In doing so, she spans the arc from psychodynamics in acute crisis to resilience factors and the development of autonomy in the face of death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay takes a radical-relational perspective on systemic, institutional, and individual leadership. It identifies the function of intersectionality and feminism in decoding normative mindsets in leadership. Then, using the ideas of power, authority, and responsibility, the author describes the relational psychodynamics between the powerful and the vulnerable. Two examples are offered to illustrate how these dynamics operate. The first describes mental health provision in the United Kingdom, and the second is a personal example from the author's experiences as a young teacher. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are not many reports on psychogenic diplopia in children and adolescents which is diagnosed as „Dissociate neurological symptom disorder, with visual disturbance" (DNSD) as per ICD-11 guidelines. Here we present a 12-year-old adolescent's case report along with his responses on Somatic Inkblot Series (SIS-II) projective test along with the interpretation of the responses. The blind analysis of the report validates the known history and indicated the need for further exploration to aid the therapeutic process. The images revealed the client's poor interpersonal relationships with his mother, father and peers, with a low self and aggressive attitude with desire to have power and authority. Clients who undergo these experiences need personal therapy to address their negative attitude and aggressive behavior. More research of SIS-II with children and adolescents may help the clinicians to unravel the „inner cry" and help them to process the unresolved issues during psychotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A review of the mental health literature clearly indicates that both clinicians and researchers have, for many decades, considered various projective measures as suitable and pragmatic assessment instruments in the mental health evaluation of children. The aim of the current study is to present a brief overview of recent scholarship reflected in this body of literature on projective assessment with child samples, based on a bibliographic analysis. To that end, a comprehensive search of the database PsycINFO identified 250 peer-reviewed articles with a focus on projective tests and children. Of these, the author selected 38 studies or key references cited in these publications. Based on an aggregated analysis of this contemporary bibliographic dataset (2000-2022, inclusive), the author contends that projective techniques have been found to have empirical support for critical clinical issues such as the ability to reveal latent psychodynamics, identify cognitive deficits, and differentiate select diagnostic groups in children and pediatric populations. These attributes of projective measures are a key feature in the assessment of children, where issues such as developmental milestones, social adaptations, emotion regulation, and verbal expression are central clinical challenges. A select historical bibliography of key studies and books is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the powerful emotions unleashed during asset pricing bubbles. Adopting a psychoanalytic perspective, we develop a five-stage path-dependent model of such financial crises and test this empirically on the Chinese 2005–2008 and 2014–2016 stock market bubbles. Results are consistent with our underlying theory and demonstrate how investors experience a range of highly charged emotions directly related with different market states during such episodes. Our evidence suggests that if we wish properly to understand and explain such destructive events, we also need to recognize the fundamental role investor unconscious fantasies and market psychodynamic processes play in their etiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial organizational psychology is one of the most dynamic areas of psychology yet it is usually not the first choice of graduate students when it comes to choosing a specialization. The present study is the first of its kind and aims to understand the perspective of the students behind this phenomenon. This qualitative study was done in two phases. The first phase generated initial themes based on a brainstorming session with graduate students of psychology (n = 15) at a Central University in India. The themes were analyzed and used to formulate a semi-structured interview, which formed the second phase, and in which students (n = 15) participated. Conventional content analysis was used to analyze the transcribed data following which key themes and subthemes were generated. Key themes of practicality, interest, and personality and motivation were found to be the key factors behind students not opting for industrial organizational psychology and choosing other fields like clinical psychology. The participants likely perceived a mismatch between them and the characteristics and demands of the I/O (Industrial/Organizational Psychology) in the organizations, which is seen in terms of P-E fit (person-environment fit), P-O fit (person-organisation fit), as well as P-J fit (person-job fit). Moreover, there is a subconscious need for self-presentation that motivates students to not opt for a field where they feel they might make mistakes or be criticized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the current understanding of the psychodynamics of the pathway to suicide and argues that the limitations of current epidemiological and observational approaches often overlook crucial psychodynamic factors. It describes how an underlying vulnerability in the capacity to process emotions can lead to unbearable pain, where death is perceived as the only escape. The intense emotional states following life's losses can then precipitate a profound division within the self. This internal split is characterised by a detached, destructive 'perpetrator' aspect and a vulnerable 'victim' aspect, with the former often overpowering the latter in the lead-up to suicide through suicidal fantasies of life after death. Drawing on data from various sources, including case studies, mental health audits, and coroner's reports, the paper assesses the practical efficacy of understanding suicide through a psychodynamic lens. This approach aims to provide more effective intervention strategies, not just by preventing suicide but also by addressing the needs of those left bereaved, who often suffer from complex grief and an elevated risk of suicide themselves. By shifting focus from solely preventive measures to a deeper understanding of the underlying psychological mechanisms, this research advocates for a more holistic approach to suicide prevention. It calls for a shared philosophical inquiry into the nature of human existence and the existential conflict between the will to live and the impulse to die, suggesting that a more nuanced comprehension of these dynamics could lead to better support systems both for those at risk and those bereaved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Csaba Pléh's two-volume history of psychology focuses on the diversification and professionalization of the field, covering topics such as depth psychology, motivation, personality, developmental psychology, behaviorism, social psychology, and cognitive psychology. Pléh emphasizes European contributions to psychology throughout the 20th century, challenging the notion that psychology is dominated solely by North America. While the text is rich in theoretical ideas and primary sources, it may be challenging for some readers due to its complexity and occasional typographical errors. Overall, the work serves as a valuable reference for those well-versed in psychology seeking a European perspective on the discipline. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Anxiety and depression are highly prevalent and often comorbid mental disorders that are encompassed within the broad category of emotional disorders. The frequent comorbidity of anxiety and depression can pose challenges for accurate diagnosis and treatment which, in turn, highlights the need for reliable measurements that are simultaneously responsive to change and prevent non-response bias. Brief measures of anxiety and depression can potentially increase response rates due to their brevity and ease of administration. This study evaluates the psychometric characteristics, discriminative accuracy, and sensitivity to change of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 2-item scale (GAD-2) and the Patient Health Questionnaire 2-item scale (PHQ-2) within a clinical population. Method: The sample comprised treatment-seeking participants (n = 3,411), screened (n = 2,477) to receive an internet-based psychotherapeutic intervention (cognitive-behavioral, psychodynamic, or waitlist). Results: Brief measures can effectively detect individuals who may be eligible for a diagnosis of depression and anxiety, not only prior to but also during and following the completion of psychological treatment. The discriminative ability of the GAD-2 was significantly greater during active treatment and at post-assessment compared with pre-treatment screening, although no such differences were found for the PHQ-2. Finally, endorsing the most severe response option on the GAD-2 and PHQ-2 was associated with a high probability of presenting with clinically relevant anxiety and depressive symptoms. Conclusion: Brief measures of anxiety and depression are viable instruments to screen for and monitor anxiety and depressive symptoms. Clinical trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT05016843. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Meta‐analyses on the relative efficacy of psychodynamic psychotherapy (PDT) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for depressive disorders are limited by heterogeneity in diagnostic samples and comparators and a lack of equivalence testing. Objective: We addressed this through a meta‐analytic test of the equivalence of manualized PDT and CBT in treating adults with depressive disorders as determined by diagnostic interviews. Sensitivity analyses evaluated the impact of pretreatment differences, mixed diagnostic samples, author allegiance, study quality, year of publication and outliers on findings. Method: A comprehensive literature search across multiple databases using reliable screening methods identified nine randomized controlled trials directly comparing manualized PDT and CBT for diagnosed depressive disorders in adults. Following pre‐registration, we employed random effect models for our meta‐analyses and two one‐sided test procedures for equivalence testing. Results: Independent raters determined that all studies were of adequate quality. Immediately posttreatment, depressive symptoms were statistically equivalent across PDT and CBT (k = 9; g = −0.11, 90% confidence interval [90% CI]: −0.24 to 0.02, pequivalence =.048, pNHST =.212, I2 = 32.7). At follow‐up, the longest time point within a year, depressive symptoms were neither statistically equivalent nor statistically different (k = 6; g = −0.16, 90% CI: −0.31 to −0.02, pequivalence =.184, pNHST =.126, I2 = 0.00). Conclusion: The efficacy of manualized PDT is equal to manualized CBT immediately at posttreatment for depressive disorders in the adult general population. Nevertheless, insufficient data exists to reach a conclusion regarding equivalence at follow‐up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Personality functioning (PF) is a central construct in many theories of personality pathology. Based on psychodynamic theories, two screening questionnaires to assess PF are widely used: The Inventory of Personality Organization—16 item version and the Operationalized Psychodynamic Diagnosis—Structure Questionnaire Short Form. This study aimed to explore the similarities and differences of the two questionnaires in a large clinical sample of N = 1636 psychotherapeutic inpatients. Correlation analyses were conducted to examine the associations between the global scores and between the subscales. The study further used Exploratory Graph Analysis (EGA) to explore the dimensionality of the items. The stability of estimates was evaluated using a bootstrap version of EGA (bootEGA). The results indicated that the two questionnaires are highly correlated, yet not multicollinear, and moderate to large correlations were found between their subscales. EGA revealed six dimensions that fairly represented the original subscales. BootEGA showed that the dimensions and items were stable, except for one item that did not load sufficiently on any dimension. The findings suggest that although the questionnaires are highly correlated, their subscales tap into distinct domains of PF. We discuss implications stemming from these findings for clinical and scientific practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key to psychodynamic and psychoanalytic work is an observing ego and the capacity to reflect on conscious and unconscious dynamics. Supervision frequently requires us to think the unthinkable and consider and reflect on material that might be shame inducing or provoke anxiety. However, this requires the ego to allow unconscious thoughts and feelings to surface and not be inhibited by the superego. The superego affects us in many ways. It sometimes acts as a censor determining what can be consciously thought in order to manage anxiety and inhibit unwanted thoughts and affects entering consciousness. It can persecute us with shoulds and oughts but it can also protect through consideration of what is appropriate and ethical. In this paper I explore the impact of the superego on supervisory and clinical work in terms of being a censor, a persecutor and protector. The paper interweaves theory with clinical examples and examines how the superego can inhibit the exploration of clinical material and the development of a reflective and psychodynamic understanding of the client's internal world. In addition I consider how the superego is a factor that ensures good practice and that the work of the clinician is fit for purpose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article "A psychodynamic perspective on sexual self-regulation" discusses the significance of psychodynamic models and theories for understanding sexual self-regulation. It focuses on the multifactorial model of sexual self-regulation and the role of Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder (CSBD). Various concepts and empirical studies on the treatment of hypersexual disorders are presented, with cognitive-behavioral approaches being predominantly used thus far. Freud's structural model is introduced as the origin of psychosexual thinking, and developments in object relations theory and mentalization theory are discussed. The text also describes Winnicott's concept of the transitional object and the connections between childhood sexual trauma and increased sexual desire in adulthood. Case examples and further developments in psychodynamic psychotherapy are discussed, as well as the significance of mentalization for sexual self-regulation. It emphasizes that sexual disorders are closely linked to the overall psychological structure and that psychodynamic theories can be a valuable contribution to understanding sexual dysregulation. Various psychodynamic concepts and interventions related to sexual self-regulation are discussed, as well as questions raised about whether certain behaviors are attributable to unintegrated emotions or fears of loss. The concept of mentalization is presented as a useful tool for affect regulation and promoting reflection on oneself and others. Various literature sources on the topic are mentioned. [Extracted from the article]

Background and Objectives: The utilization of Between‐Session Homework (BSH) holds a longstanding tradition in the field of psychotherapy. Significantly, it serves as a pivotal catalyst for change within behavioral and cognitive‐behavioral therapies, and has also garnered endorsement within psychodynamic and humanistic‐experiential therapies. While our current conceptualization of BSH is characterized by assimilation and integration, diversity prevails in how BSH is incorporated into the treatment plan, spanning various therapy stages, thus necessitating a customized therapist‐client interpersonal dynamic. Far from being a panacea, the employment of BSH emerges as a highly sophisticated and intricate clinical methodology, demanding a high degree of therapist proficiency and competence to facilitate client engagement. Methods: In this introductory paper, we present an issue of the Journal of Clinical Psychology: In Session that exemplifies the diverse modalities through which BSH can be integrated into clinical practice across various client demographics and within distinct psychotherapeutic paradigms. We place specific emphasis on the pivotal role of BSH and its interplay with proposed mechanisms of change throughout the course of treatment. Results: Initially, we provide an overarching view of the subject and expound on empirical research substantiating the efficacy of BSH in psychotherapy. Subsequently, we delve into strategies for adeptly integrating and monitoring BSH within clinical practice. Conclusions: Our primary objectives encompass affording readers a more lucid comprehension of (1) the content and nature of homework; (2) the influence of BSH on treatment outcomes; and (3) the ways through which therapists can foster client engagement with BSH. Finally, we introduce the six papers comprising this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a list of contributors to the Journal of Analytical Psychology. It includes information about each contributor's background, areas of expertise, and publications. The contributors come from various countries and have diverse perspectives, covering topics such as ethics, trauma, mythology, politics, gender, and cultural studies. Their work explores the intersection of analytical psychology with fields such as anthropology, psychoanalysis, religion, and art. The contributors have published books, articles, and participated in workshops and lectures, making valuable contributions to the field of analytical psychology. [Extracted from the article]

Ilana Savdie's painting titled "Lagrimas y Mocos, Exploiting a Suitable Host" is a complex and visually captivating piece that invites viewers to explore different emotions and thoughts. The painting features bold colors and various body parts and creatures, creating a dreamy and surreal atmosphere. From a psychoanalytic perspective, the painting can be seen as a representation of transitional phenomena and the duality of emotions. Savdie's work is influenced by her multicultural background and explores themes of identity and the human body. The painting also reflects the social context of the COVID pandemic and raises questions about power dynamics and fixed identities. Overall, Savdie's painting offers a unique and thought-provoking artistic experience. [Extracted from the article]

The Journal for Individual Psychology reports on the annual conference of the German Society for Individual Psychology (DGIP) in 2023 in Bonn-Bad Godesberg. The main theme of the conference was the tension between powerlessness and creative power. It was discussed how one can integrate object and subjectivity within oneself and perceive and describe one's own complexity as an expression of coherence. The presentations at the conference shed light on, among other things, the emphasis on the victim status of patients and the significance of seemingly insignificant therapeutic events in the course of treatment. The article describes the self-efficacy of the analyst and its effects on the patient. It is shown how people who perceive themselves as objects of state action can gain greater freedom of action and an improved sense of self-worth through counseling and reflection. Furthermore, the connection between Mark Solms' neuropsychoanalytic model of consciousness emergence and the psychodynamics of patients is examined. It is emphasized that understanding patients and encouraging conscious feeling and perception can expand their possibilities for action. Finally, the treatment of a man who suffers from both life-restricting symptoms and a manifest illness is described. The analyst not only serves as a therapist but also as a palliative care physician. It is emphasized that in such cases, there can be no cure and hardly a "good" ending. [Extracted from the article]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to introduce the authors' action research praxis regarding the development of collaborative relations between organizations that incorporates an element of play. Based on transitional change thinking, the authors use play and simulation, creating a naturalistic setting, and provide spacing for relational dynamics to unfold so as to learn from these. Design/methodology/approach: The perspective taken in this paper draws on organizational psychology, systems psychodynamics and organization development. Findings: One workshop is described in detail, namely, "The Yacht Club." Originality/value: The rationale for and design of workshops that provide transitional space for experiencing, researching and learning about interorganizational dynamics as a valuable alternative to positivist experimentation are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: A recent randomized controlled trial (RCT) indicated that individuals with higher levels of attachment anxiety exhibited better treatment outcomes in supportive–expressive therapy (SET) relative to supportive therapy (ST). But to gain insight into within-patient therapeutic changes, a within-individual design is required. The present study contrasts previous findings based on theory-driven between-patient moderators with data-driven moderators of within-patient processes to investigate whether findings converge or diverge across these two approaches. Method: We used data of 118 patients from the pilot and active phases of a recent RCT for patients with major depressive disorder, comparing ST with SET, a time-limited psychodynamic therapy. The predefined primary outcome measure was the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression. Supportive versus expressive techniques were rated based on patients' end-of-session perspective. We compared previous findings based on moderators of between-patient effects with a data-driven approach for identifying moderators of within-patient effects of techniques on subsequent outcome. Results: After false discovery rate corrections, of 10 preselected moderators, patients' attachment anxiety and domineering style remained significant. Of these, bootstrap resampling revealed significant differences between ST and SET techniques for the attachment anxiety moderator: Those with higher attachment anxiety benefited more from greater use of ST than SET techniques in a particular session, as evidenced by lower levels of symptoms at the subsequent session. Conclusions: Our within-individual findings diverge from previously published between-individual analyses. This proof-of-concept study demonstrates the importance of complementing between-individuals with within-individual analyses to achieve better understanding of who benefits most from specific treatment techniques. What is the public health significance of this article?: The study highlights the problem of trying to translate findings from studies on moderators of the effect of treatment packages on outcome to the clinically relevant question of which techniques to use in a given session with a particular patient. The findings suggest that whereas at the treatment selection level, patients with higher levels of attachment anxiety may benefit most from assignment to supportive–expressive treatment, at a given session, greater use of supportive techniques is most effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to describe and analyze the career decision-making of the first author in the context of life trajectory using autoethnographic trajectory equifinality modeling (Auto-TEM). The life story and analysis of the first author indicate that career decision-making is a constant pre-constructive process in the life trajectory of an individual. This process is a semiotic and trans-action one between the individual and society. In other words, career decision-making is an issue of the cultural psychology of dynamic semiosis, which is concerned with understanding the manner in which the life trajectory of a person promotes or inhibits socio-culturalism and not only a subject of matching and self-esteem. Alternatively, we emphasize that career decision-making for an individual is an act of meaning with a unique ontological aspect. We propose the value of Auto-TEM as a qualitative method for describing such a dynamic career decision-making process. The autoethnographic viewpoint renders possible the understandings of the dynamics of the personal–collective culture synthesis for the subject. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author shares a personal account of 50 years of experience practicing psychodynamic psychiatry and psychoanalysis after migrating from Argentina to the United States. Her career developed in parallel as a clinician and as an academic psychiatrist, with leadership roles in the American Psychiatric Association, the Association of Women Psychiatrists, and the American Academy of Psychodynamic Psychiatry and Psychoanalysis. After describing what constitutes the essence, substance, and form of psychoanalysis, she reviews the historic shift within psychoanalysis in the United States from intrapsychic dyadic practice with selected patients to the application of psychodynamic concepts to everyday psychiatric care of patients with complex morbidities in multiple clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the conditions for the development of creativity and the possible obstacles along the way. It explores conscious and unconscious mechanisms which either impede or support this process. Creativity is seen as a special case of relationships between internal and external objects, with some aspects being more consistent and others being more fluid throughout an individual's life. This paper is based on the clinical experience of psychodynamic work with clients whose psychological predicaments related to creativity impoverished different areas of their lives. The non‐exhaustive list of factors to be considered when working with those clients includes a blocked epistemophilic instinct, excessively repressed aggression, and strong negative projections. A harsh superego opposing a weak 'internal supporter' combined with an internalised negative parental attitude to their own creativity constitutes a powerful unconscious force which prevents it from blossoming. A high level of basic anxiety, a low degree of omnipotence, and the release of endorphins in response to suffering contribute to these difficulties. Insufficient capacity to sublimate emotions and an inability to free associate prevent clients from finding the links between ideas born in the mind and their expression that could be accessed by others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article we construct and validate a cross-level conceptual model based on emergence theory and psychodynamics with both mediating and moderating effects to explore the influence of individual characteristics (i.e., rational cognitive ability, herd pressure), groupthink, and feedback from key people (i.e., government, expert) on group protective behavioral intentions in the context of Not-In-My-Backyard (NIMBY) situations. We utilize a tracking experiment approach in which we recruited 35 student teams from a university as respondents and surveyed them three times from 2021 to 2022. The hypotheses of the study from the individual level to the group level were tested using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) and indirect effects were tested using RMediation. The results suggest that rational cognitive ability has a negative effect on group protective behavioral intentions via groupthink and that herd pressure has a positive effect on group protective behavioral intentions via groupthink. Further, we also found that positive feedback based on government authority played a positive role in moderating the relationship between group-level risk perception and group protective behavioral intentions, while developmental feedback based on expert prestige had a negative moderating effect. This study enriches and improves theoretical studies on nuclear power risk, which provides innovative practical implications for the formation and control of group protective behavioral intentions under the risk of NIMBY. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contemporary work is permeated by managerial precariousness; by the criticality of the mental health scenario worldwide; and by the effort, on the part of professionals, to resist the constraints of reality in order to achieve prescribed objectives, a theme widely studied by Work Psychodynamics (PDT). In this study, we aimed to understand the experiences of organizational and work psychology (OWP) professionals in the Brazilian federal public service, in the light of PDT. The qualitative research interviewed, through semi-structured interviews, nine professionals from nine federal institutions. As a result of content analysis, elements of work organization (WO) and experiences of pleasure and suffering allowed us to conclude that managerialism permeates professional practice, characterizing an approach that ensures the maintenance of organizational devices in practices with an adaptive bias in meeting managerial demands. In the pursuit of pleasure, OWP professionals find recognition for their utility in the immediate satisfaction of the user and in the maintenance of productive standards, even though they do not intervene in the factors causing illness. The collective emerges as a source of support while legislation contributes to establishing limits and, to some extent, shaping behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper holds that Work Psychology can improve the understanding of the problems in its field if it brings to the foreground the work itself. Developments in such direction are discussed, mainly those from Christophe Dejours, Yves Clot, and Elliott Jaques. Since its inception Work Psychology has been understood as the application of psychological concepts to the study of people's performance in the context of their employment work. The work itself was seen as something given and objectifiable. The tradition of the School of Human Relations puts the social interaction as the main content and leaves the work itself as context. For Zaleznik this approach led managers to concentrate on what he called "psychopolitics", neglecting the actual work, the role of aggression in it, and the conflict between the individual and the organization. Dejours called his approach "Psychodynamics of Work", and focused on the subjective and intersubjective processes aroused by work, whose dynamics are activated by conflicts. He underlined the difference between work as prescribed and actual work. Trying to achieve the prescribed goal, the person collides with everything that resists his efforts in reality, both physical and social, and even unconscious. The first experience of work is that of suffering. Dejours highlights the centrality of the body in this suffering and in the whole work process. Suffering is also the starting point for the deployment of subjectivity in the construction of the task in order to overcome obstacles by going beyond the prescriptions. If a person finds space in the organization for this deployment, "living work" occurs, which benefits both the organization and the person. This space is one where communication circulates in both directions, which makes it possible for work to become visible and achieve recognition. If, on the other hand, the organization thwarts the subjective deployment, the situation becomes pathogenic. Yves Clot interpolates between the prescribed and the real work, the unrealized possibilities, which provide energy that contributes to the dynamics of the work process, either as available resources or as restrictions. This idea qualifies the conception of the encounter with the task prescribed as suffering. For Clot, the psychological function of work is to enable people to separate their subjective concerns from the social occupations they must fulfill, which accords them a place in the society via division of labor. Clot designates "professional genre" to the specifics of the occupation assumed, a flexible set of orientations that is reworked by each one as a personal style. Jaques studied the work process from Kleinian psychoanalytic perspective and his experience in industry. In his analysis of salaried work he distinguishes two elements: the prescribed content, goals and means that leave no choice to the employee, and the discretionary content, the elements upon which the employee is expected to decide. Jaques describe several stages in the process of work and highlights the continuous interaction of conscious and unconscious areas of mind in it, and the importance of anxiety. Although both Dejours and Clot highlight the importance of recognition in work experience, Jaques proposes that recognition is manifested concretely in the breadth of responsibility and remuneration associated with the position. It is argued that putting into dialogue the developments of the cited authors, despite their differences, would fertilize the theory, and make new interventions possible. It is suggested to focus the teaching of Work Psychology on the analysis of the experience of working itself. Other suggestions are avoid the "rhetoric of suffering" in the dissemination of topics of the specialty; to ground applications on concrete analysis of the organization, and to pay attention to the uniqueness of the case rather than to the application of a given scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Chaque année, la foudre frappe entre 200 et 500 personnes en France. Bien que le versant médical de la kéraunopathologie soit correctement documenté et exploré, le vécu psychique des victimes de la foudre est encore très peu étudié. Pourtant, malgré des publications concernant les potentialités dépressogène et anxiogène que représente le fait d'être « fulguré », l'examen des récits de vie avant, pendant et après la décharge électrique est quasi-inexistant. L'objectif de notre étude est de tracer certaines coordonnées cliniques et phénoménologiques de ce phénomène en nous appuyant sur plusieurs témoignages issus de la littérature fictionnelle et non fictionnelle, notamment par des personnes décrivant de surcroît ce moment en tant qu'expérience de mort imminente. Après avoir fait état des connaissances neurologiques et psychopathologiques actuelles concernant la kéraunopathologie, nous nous pencherons sur le lien étroit qui existe généralement entre les récits d'histoires de victimes et la mythologie ou la fiction. Ensuite, nous passerons en revue quelques histoires que l'on peut retrouver dans la littérature non fictionnelle et qui relient expériences de mort imminente et fulguration. Enfin, et pour appuyer notre propos d'un axe psychodynamique et phénoménologique, nous nous arrêterons sur le cas clinique original d'Athéna et essayerons de comprendre comment un jour d'orage a pu venir remodeler sa vie, sa pensée et son rapport au monde. La dimension psychique de la fulguration apparaît centrale dans sa prise en charge. Nous observons qu'au-delà des conséquences médicales directes et même psychopathologiques, le remaniement psychique attribué à la foudre a des répercussions sur les plans émotionnel, cognitif, perceptuel, spirituel et social. De plus, ces bouleversements introduisent une hésitation sur le plan du diagnostic psychodynamique du sujet. Ainsi, ce qui peut apparaître comme la décompensation vers le délire mystique d'une organisation psychotique ne pourrait en réalité n'être qu'une attitude mystique basée sur une structuration névrotique. L'accompagnement psychique des fulgurés invite à une approche pluridisciplinaire qui prend en compte leur complexité. Savoir trouver les chemins de compréhension en se gardant de toutes catégorisations hâtives demeure essentiel. De plus, au-delà de la réflexion que nourrit ce type d'accompagnement sur la prise en charge de celui qui vit l'exceptionnel, la foudre donne l'occasion de repenser certaines modélisations classiques de l'expérience de mort imminente. Cette menace mortelle survenue à la vitesse de la lumière semble paradoxalement – et peut-être dans une reconstruction après-coup – être richement subjectivée par les sujets, dans une temporalité en net décalage avec le temps physique. D'autres travaux seront nécessaires à l'avenir pour compléter le début de réflexion que nous exposons dans cet article. Il se doit d'être étayé par des descriptions similaires afin de former une conceptualisation solide, que cela soit de la kéraunopathologie ou bien de l'expérience de mort imminente de manière plus large. Malgré la rareté du phénomène, cela concernerait néanmoins chaque année une centaine de personnes qui, lors de leur passage aux urgences, pourraient bénéficier d'un accompagnement dédié intégrant perspective médicale et psychologique. Every year, lightning strikes between 200 and 500 people in France. Although the medical side of keraunopathology is well documented and explored, the psychological experience of lightning victims is still very little studied. However, despite publications concerning the depressive and anxiety-provoking potential of being "struck by lightning," the examination of life stories before, during, and after the electric discharge is almost non-existent. The aim of our study is to trace some of the clinical and phenomenological coordinates of this phenomenon by drawing on a number of fictional and non-fictional accounts, including those of people who also describe this moment as a near-death experience. After reviewing the current neurological and psychopathological knowledge about keraunopathology, we will look at the close link that usually exists between victims' stories and mythology or fiction. Then, we will review some stories that can be found in non-fictional literature and that link near-death experiences and fulguration. Finally, and to support our proposal from a psychodynamic and phenomenological point of view, we will look at the original clinical case of Athéna and try to understand how a stormy day could have reshaped her life, her thinking, and her relationship to the world. The psychic dimension of lightning appears to be central to the treatment of its victims. We observe that, beyond the direct medical and even psychopathological after-effects, the psychical reorganization attributed to lightning has repercussions on the emotional, cognitive, perceptual, spiritual, and social levels. Moreover, these upheavals introduce a hesitation in the psychodynamic diagnosis of the subject. Thus, what may appear to be the decompensation towards mystical delusion of a psychotic organization could in reality be only a mystical attitude rooted in a neurotic structure. Psychological support for people with mental illness requires a multidisciplinary approach that takes their complexity into account. Knowing how to find ways of understanding while avoiding any hasty categorizations remains essential. Moreover, beyond the reflection necessary for the treatment of the person experiencing the exceptional, lightning gives the opportunity to rethink certain classic models of the near-death experience. Paradoxically, this mortal threat, which occurred at the speed of light, seems to be richly subjectivized by the subjects, in a temporality that is clearly out of sync with physical time. Further work will be needed to complete the beginning of the reflection that we have outlined in this article. It must be supported by similar descriptions in order to form a solid conceptualization, whether of keraunopathology or of the near-death experience in a broader sense. Despite the rarity of the phenomenon, it would nevertheless concern a hundred or so people each year who, during their visit to the emergency room, could benefit from dedicated support integrating medical and psychological perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When men migrate from Venezuela for survival, they bring with them a forming political self related to local daily encounters with threatening political practices in their country of origin and through transit countries. The political self is formed in interpersonal interactions in the pursuit to sustain life even as trust has been eroded. Increased attention to lived experience within survival migration brings together migration studies, political science, and psychodynamic theories related to violence and trust. Drawing from pastoral care encounters in Ecuador, the article provides a nascent construct on the political self that influences men in terms of their own sense of care, responsibility, and personhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we examine the concept of borderline personality organization as it was conceptualized by Otto F. Kernberg. We highlight the diagnostic criteria so that it is possible to recognize a borderline organization, namely primitive defensive mechanisms associated with an examination of reality generally uncompromised. We point out that, for Kernberg, dysfunctional management of the primitive feelings of anger would prevent the psychic integration, in early childhood of the borderline subject, of the 'good' and 'bad' dyads in which Self and object are related. The patient, growing up, would then discover herself as dominated by tearing and opposing experiential and affective 'states'. Kernberg describes borderline personality organization as a pathological condition of internalized object relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experience of patient suicide can have a profound impact on clinicians, yet there are limited opportunities for them to express and process their emotional responses. We organized a reflective group session for psychiatrists in Singapore who had encountered patient suicides. Ten psychiatrists participated, with five in the "inner" group (those who had experienced patient suicide) and the remaining five forming the "outer" group. Led by a senior psychiatrist trained in psychodynamic psychotherapy, the inner group shared their reflections on patient suicides, while the outer group provided their insights thereafter. Participants provided written feedback about their session experiences. The session was recorded, transcribed, and analyzed to identify key themes. Three main narrative themes emerged from the analysis. Firstly, there was the acute response to the suicide, involving intense emotional reactions. Secondly, the relationship between clinicians and patients with suicidal thoughts was explored, encompassing countertransferential responses, superego defenses, and resulting anxiety. Lastly, the study examined how clinicians feel about suicidality itself, shedding light on complex attitudes and perceptions. Our findings confirm previous research, indicating that the response to patient suicide is stressful and traumatic for clinicians, who grapple with emotions such as grief, guilt, incompetence, and fear. Moreover, we delve into the intricate connections clinicians have with the concept of suicidality, shaped not only by their own experiences but also by the insights of those who have yet to confront patient suicide. The reflections shared by the participants emphasize the significance of establishing therapeutic spaces for clinicians to process these complex emotions effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many academic centers a generation of psychiatrists has undergone training with little or no exposure to Freud's contributions to our profession. Our profession is diminished if we ignore Freud's remarkable insights into the human psyche. Not only does Freud give us a comprehensive theory of human nature—of our mental life and its psychopathology—his concepts are foundational to dynamic psychiatry and its psychotherapeutic application. This article describes one of his core concepts: Freud's theory of anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]