What happens when the analytic mind that hold us begins to disappear? In this Saturday Salon, Dr. Kathleen Fitzgerald invites participants into an intimate exploration of a ten-year analytic relationship reframed through an unexpected reversal as the analyst’s mind is slowly overtaken by dementia. Through a series of vivid clinical and relational moments, Dr. Fitzgerald reflects on the unfolding experience of remaining analytic dialogue while the analyst’s capacity for coherence becomes increasingly compromised. Moments of confusion, paranoia and altered reality coexist alongside unconscious depth and meaningful contact.

This experience challenges and illuminates the foundation of psychoanalytic work. Together we have the opportunity to explore vulnerability, asymmetry and the deeply human dimensions of analytic work. This curated conversation invites participants to explore how analytic meaning can emerge even at the edges of madness, loss and cognitive decline and find meaning in the midst of mortality, dependency and grief. Dr. Fitzgerald’s paper of the same title as this salon is published in Psychoanalytic Inquiry.

Course Objectives:

1. Describe how humanness is interwoven in the analytic relationship.

2. Identify the destabilization of the analytic frame and mutual vulnerability.

3. Discuss the psychological and ethical implications of the aging analyst/therapist.

3 CE Credits Available!

Presented by Dr. Kathleen Fitzgerald, Psy. D, MFT, Training and Supervising Analyst

Registration fee includes a $40 non-refundable administration charge. Refund requests will be honored if received 14 days before individually scheduled events. No refunds will be available after the event. There is no known commercial support for this program.