THE CONTEMPORARY FREUDIAN SOCIETY
presents at Mt. Sinai Medical Center, New York City
Battling the Life and Death Forces of Sadomasochism:
Clinical Perspectives
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2014, Program: 2:00-4:30; Reception 4:30-5:00
An afternoon of Case Presentations and Discussions from a rich variety of approaches
Harriet I Basseches, Paula L Ellman, Nancy R Goodman, (editors)
Sheldon Bach, Alan Bass, Steven Ellman, Andrea Greenman, Richard Reichbart
Many psychotherapies end because of a “battle”, a sadomasochistic battle, that becomes a Negative Therapeutic Reaction – the obliteration of the treatment. Listening to the destruction and pain in the inner life of these patients can invite the therapist to shut down. Uncovering the transference/countertransference enactments demands an openness to hearing the many ways our patients can hurt themselves and others and the ways we too can harbor wishes to dominate and submit. What we call ‘Hurting Love’ characterizes the attachment that possesses these treatments. The panelists in this conference present cases and discussions that concentrate on identifying the life and death forces active in therapist-patient dynamics. Recognition of these sadomasochistic patterns and how to work with them saves the treatment.