Pre-Licensed Committee

The Pre-Licensed Committee (PLC) continues to thrive, as we work towards bringing psychoanalytic thought to early clinicians. With the new year, committee members have sharpened PLC's mission, in order to bring a unique, lively spin to the larger psychoanalytic community. During the coming year the PLC will continue to reach out to early clinicians, focusing on two goals: First, to create a welcome community for early clinicians throughout their educational experience and beyond — a place to engender ideas and a sense of belonging; and second, to serve as a resource for early clinicians to foster a professional voice. By building community and encouraging professional development, the PLC can increase the psychoanalytic voice within the larger social and political environment.

During the past year, we have successfully organized a series of events that furthered our aims and those of the larger organization. Our fall and spring Movie Events were facilitated by Dr. Sharon Bass, a seasoned clinician and supervisor, and Dr. Cynthia Sailers, a recent graduate who leads study groups on poetics and psychoanalysis. Dr. Bass led a riveting discussion around the relational dynamics of psychosis during a screening of Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan. Dr. Sailers provided an intriguing interpretation of Michel Gondry's Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind from a Lacanian perspective. This fall, we are delighted to host Dr. Francisco Gonzalez, who will lead a discussion about Andrea Arnold's acclaimed 2009 film, Fish Tank.

The PLC has also continued the tradition of hosting twice-yearly Salons, in which senior clinicians share their personal and professional experiences to encourage early clinicians to engage with respected mentors. This year, the PLC focused on interviewing training directors for analytically oriented internships. In the fall, Dr. Loong Kwok interviewed Dr. Sharon Tyson, the Chief Psychologist and director of the Psychology Internship Program at California Pacific M