Samstag, 3. April 2027

Workshop with Arnona Zahavi, M. A. (Tel Aviv), Psychoanalytikerin TAICP / IPA

In this workshop we will discuss the divergent development of autistic children and reflect on how to think psychoanalytically about these patients, also as adults. To do so we need to consider that their mental life has developed within different sensory, emotional and cognitive processes than what we, their neurotypical psychoanalysts, understand and expect.

Let us consider, for instance, the communication between analyst and patient. Can we be sure that the play of the autistic child, or the words of the autistic adult, can be understood to express their inner worlds in the same way as other patients? I think not. A child might turn his or her back on us when we are talking, not to indicate that they want to shut us out, but rather because they can listen and introject our words much more easily when not distracted by our facial expressions. An adult might need us to accept their intellectual interests as an important part of their relationship with us, without it being a defence mechanism.

We will discuss the ways autistic people experience the world and themselves using, among others, Wilfred Bion’s concept of common-sense, Donald Meltzer’s concept of dismantling, and Donald Winnicott’s concept of the true self.

The participants are invited to share relevant clinical vignettes of adults and children, either diagnosed or not.

Workshop Gruppe 1: 10:15–12:15 Uhr
Workshop Gruppe 2: 14:00–16:00 Uhr

Hinweis: Bitte geben Sie bei der Anmeldung an, welche Workshopgruppe Sie bevorzugen. Wir bemühen uns, Ihren Wunsch zu berücksichtigen, können die Zuteilung zur gewünschten Gruppe jedoch nicht garantieren. Die definitive Gruppeneinteilung erfolgt nach Eingang der Anmeldungen.

Mitglieder sowie Analytikerinnen und Analytiker in Ausbildung können psychoanalytische Überlegungen zu aktuellen Fragestellungen – aus Theorie, Klinik oder öffentlichem Diskurs – zur Diskussion stellen. Das Forum lebt von der Relevanz der Themen und der Offenheit des Gesprächs. Kurzfristige Beiträge sind ausdrücklich willkommen

Öffentliche Veranstaltung im Freud-Institut Zürich, Anmeldung erforderlich: anmeldung@freud-institut.ch