Offering the best in psychoanalytic scholarship and vacation appeal, The American will hold its 86th Annual Meeting May 14–18 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in San Diego. The analytic theme of the scientific program is “Contemporary Shifts in Our Theory of Technique.” With the meeting taking place in Southern California, fun is the extracurricular theme.
Major panels tackle some of the controversial issues in psychoanalysis. “Analyzing Transference: Contemporary Responses to Merton Gill” is scheduled Friday afternoon. Saturday panels are “What Do We Mean by a ‘One-Person’ or a ‘Two-Person’ Psychology?” and “‘Spontaneity’ vs. ‘Constraint’: Dilemmas in the Analyst's Decision-Making.” The panels conclude Sunday with an overview on “Contemporary Shifts in Our Theory of Technique.”
Over forty small discussion groups are scheduled beginning Wednesday on topics from ethics to analytic process to immigration to Bion. These groups are now open to all registrants and offer an opportunity for active and intimate participation.
Other meeting highlights include the plenary address by Evelyne Albrecht Schwaber Friday afternoon (see page 7). The Saturday meet-the-author session will feature Fred Busch, author of The Ego at the Center of Clinical Technique. The popular film series continues with Body Heat, Vertigo, and Betrayal. The Program for Spouses is “Bringing The Dead to Life: Reading James Joyce.” Presentations for students target forced termination, monitoring change, the meaning of money, and developmental models.
Arrangements Committee Cochair Sharon Zalusky promises a “user-friendly” meeting, especially for first-time attendees. Representatives from The American will be available to discuss the program and give advice on how to enjoy the meeting.
In addition to the fine program at the Spring meeting, with a little planning one can enjoy a family vacation to remember. San Diego may be as close to paradise as you can get in the United States. Its temperate climate, idyllic location, and cultural and recreational activities make it one of the country's prime vacation destinations. In addition to well-known attractions like the San Diego Zoo and Sea World, it boasts fine beaches, bays, mountains, and deserts, and a cosmospolitan city with great dining and shopping. Combine these features with an exciting analytic program, and the only drawback is that at some point one has to return home.
(Jack Miller and Alan Sugarman contributed to this article.)