847-869-1500 
What Is Psychobiography and How Is It Relevant to Psychotherapy?
Virtual
Zoom
Conference Description:
Biographies are at their best when they convey that the subject is a three-dimensional human being who possesses an inner life. Hence psychology is essential to the writing of high-quality biographies. But psychology is vulnerable to being misused. All too often psychology has been weaponized to attack biographical subjects, or dogmatic psychological theories are foisted onto subjects so these people look like cardboard figures. In his recently published book, James W. Anderson examined what is necessary for writing first-rate psychobiography.
In his talk for us, he discusses how the approaches that make for effective psychobiography relate to approaches that make for effective psychotherapy. Countertransference is key to psychobiography as it is in psychotherapy. Other essential factors are understanding the culture of the subject/patient; learning in depth about the development and personality of the subject/patient; and being sensitive to the subject’s or patient’s narrative identity. Most important, interpretations are not to be imposed onto the subject/patient but instead the biographer/therapist seeks to open up, not close down; to provide new questions, not easy answers; to complicate, not simplify.
Learning Objectives:
- describe ways in which a therapist’s relationship with a patient enhances or detracts from the therapy;
- describe how to make interpretations that encourage patients to explore themselves more deeply and to see what they haven’t seen before.
Presenter
James W. Anderson, PhD
Professor of Clinical Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University</
Former President, Chicago Psychoanalytic Society
James W. Anderson, PhD, is Professor of Clinical Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Northwestern University, where he teaches courses on the Psychology of Personality and the Psychology of Film. He is also a faculty member of the Chicago Psychoanalytic Institute and a former President of the Chicago Psychoanalytic Society. His specialty is psychobiography, the study, using a psychological perspective, of historical, political, literary, and artistic figures.
This past October his book, Psychobiography: In Search of the Inner Life, was published by Oxford University Press.
Questions:
Call Tracy Ashworth 847-869-1500 ext. 207
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Yellowbrick collaborates with adolescents and emerging adults, ages 16-30's, their families and participating professionals toward the development and implementation of a strategic “Life Plan.” An integrative, multi-specialty consultation clarifies strengths, limitations, and risks, and defines motivations, goals and choices.
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847-869-1500