Neuropsychoanalysis in Bologna (Italy)

The Psychological Clinical Service at Villa Bellombra Rehabilitation Hospital in Bologna supports neurological patients and their caregivers, serving patients suffering from disorders including stroke, multiple sclerosis, dementia, and Parkinson disease. Specific attention is also given to the individual reactions and group dynamics of health workers who take part in the interdisciplinary teams. The service, coordinated by Dr. Marina Farinelli, a clinical psychology specialist and psychoanalytic psychotherapist, integrates clinical rehabilitation practice with psychological and psychotherapeutic interventions based on psychosomatic, psychoanalytic, and neuropsychoanalytic approaches, with the aim of improving diagnosis and therapy throughout the entire rehabilitation process. The Psychological Clinical Service characterizes the hospital and is widely recognized for its innovative approach to rehabilitation; it recently received a request to provide support and collaborate with the local association of stroke patients and caregivers.

The clinical service is also active in research with neurological patients. Some studies are being carried out in collaboration with both Italian and international research institutions, concerning self, emotion, defense mechanisms, attachment, pain, anosognosia, and other topics. For example, the research project “The Impact of Brain Lesion on Internalization/Externalization Processes: A Neuropsychodynamic Study,” began last year in collaboration among Villa Bellombra Rehabilitation Hospital (Dr. Marina Farinelli), the Neuroradiology Unit of the Bellaria Hospital in Bologna (Prof. Marco Leonardi), the Department of Psychology of Bologna University (Prof, Francesca Frassinetti) and the Mind, Brain Imaging and Neuroethics research unit of the Institute of Mental Health Research at the Ottawa University (Prof. Georg Northoff); the project is coordinated by Marina Farinelli and Georg Northoff (supervisor). The project was presented last year