Psychoanalytic Dialogues

This case presentation, as account, metaphor, and personal narrative, reflects the impact on me of my trip to South Africa more than twenty-five years ago. Something about that moment in time, in my evolving development, remains present still—for me, and for the “us/we” in my mind. With an oblique view of that experience, I explore questions I have carried about the evolving self: how we gain consciousness, make meaning from life experiences that shape our beliefs, attitudes, and emotions, and how such meanings compel us to act, resist change, and evolve.

My underlying précis is that the evolving self is aided in awareness and growth through significant life events involving encounter with “the other,” often a very different other. Realizing I had been touched and shaped by critical, pivotal encounters with “the other,” I began to suspect we could go a lifetime and miss something essential about being human—about how the human heart and mind work and evolve. I wondered whether I had been blind to the way they learn about themselves through empathy, an intersubjective experience I call “resonant interconnectivity,” with oneself and another human being.

The presentation focuses on how this connectivity is heightened during critical incidents, pivotal life events, or SEEs—Significant Emotional Events—whether uplifting, conflict-laden, or painful. In these moments the mind, in its emotional readiness, is offered an opportunity to wake up; and with each awakening, more self may expand into conscious awareness. We wake up to the meaning-making of our lives gradually, little by little, through significant experiences with others. Heart reckoning—my mind came to rest upon this repeatedly during the trip. Moments each day broke through to remind me that apartheid exists, and that it exists everywhere.

The trip was a powerful awakening, experiencing transcending language. I now believe this experiencing holds a key to an evolutionary understanding of apartheid—not only through South Africa, but as part of our human developmental journey and transformational change process.

This presentation explores the power of self-study, the autobiographical voice and “resonant interconnectivity” as that which connects us, expands us, changes us, and sustains us through an ever-evolving psychological growth process. This connectivity is explored as key to understanding our tendency toward apartheid-thinking.

Learning Objectives

• Examine the historical and psychological meanings of apartheid and describe how its legacy may inform contemporary experiences of race, identity, difference, and social relations within clinical encounters.
• Analyze how one’s own social, cultural, intergenerational, and transgenerational history may shape affective responses, assumptions, and perceptions within the clinical relationship, including manifestations of the social unconscious in the therapeutic encounter.
• Apply personal narrative, storytelling, vignette, and autobiographical reflection as clinical tools for developing emotional attunement, recognizing difference, and facilitating meaningful engagement across social and cultural differences.

CME/CE Accreditation

ACCME Accreditation Statement
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 Western New England Psychoanalytic Society. The American Psychoanalytic Association is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

AMA Credit Designation Statement
The American Psychoanalytic Association designates this live activity for a maximum of 2 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Disclosure Statement
The APsA CE Committee has reviewed the materials for accredited continuing education and has determined that 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 relationship. This activity does not have any known commercial support.

This program is being reviewed for Continuing Education Credit Hours by the National Association of Social Workers, CT. Once approved, it will meet the continuing education criteria for Social Work Licensure renewal, Marriage & Family Therapist Licensure renewal, Professional Counselor Licensure renewal and Licensed Psychologist Licensure renewal.