Since 1989, the Mary S. Sigourney Trust has been awarding psychoanalysis' most prestigious award to individuals and institutions that have made extraordinary contributions to the field.
This year, at a ceremony held during the Winter Meeting, presided over by co-trustees James Devine and APsaA treasurer Warren Procci, the accomplishments of four U.S. winners were celebrated. (In a three-year cycle, the awards are granted to analysts in the U.S., Western Europe, and other areas of the world.)
Howard Shevrin was introduced by Robert Wallerstein, who described Shevrin as a “pioneering member of an all too small cadre of empirical researchers” in psychoanalysis. Shevrin is a forerunner from the psychoanalytic side of the now burgeoning field of neuro-psychoanalysis. In one of his neuro-psychoanalytic experiments, Shevrin demonstrated that there is a brain response indicative of unconscious contents.
Marylou Lionells, past president of the William Alanson White Institute, was the nominator and the introducer for this award winner. For the White, she said, this is a milestone on the long journey towards rapprochement with APsaA. The White Institute was founded by Clara Thompson 60 years ago and has always emphasized responsiveness to the needs of the outside community. When psychologists were still excluded from training at APsaA institutes, the White was a premier training site for psychologists' psychoanalytic education. The Institute's specialized clinical services include programs oriented toward eating problems, addictions, HIV and chronic disease, and organizational consultation. It provides low cost supervision to mental health practitioners. Candidates finance their training through clinical work. Joerg Bose, current director, accepted the award on behalf of the White Institute.
Sigourney Award Honorees: (l to r) Joerg Bose, president of the William Alanson White Institute, Marvin Margolis, APsaA past president, Marylou Lionells, past president of the White institute, Elizabeth Greenspan, representing her father Stanley, infant researcher, and Howard Shevrin, pioneer in neuro-psychoanalysis research.
Sigourney Trustees with their spouses. From left to right, Linda Procci, Jim Devine, Amanda Devine, Warren Procci.
Stanley Greenspan, who was introduced by Newell Fischer, could not attend the ceremonies and was represented by his daughter, Elizabeth Greenspan, who read his prepared remarks of acceptance, which concluded with this call to arms:
“Psychoanalysis must come together and represent the deepest levels of the human mind in all areas of human endeavor, from individual psychopathology and treatment to understanding complex social phenomena…. As a perspective on the human mind and a method of inquiry, psychoanalysis needs to understand the complex social patterns that are denying human depth and complexity. It must look at its own defensive reactions to the mounting challenges it has been facing. Ultimately, it must embrace nothing short of the responsibility of guiding the world back to an appreciation of the qualities of human beings that have contributed to its creation and may determine its future. ”
Marvin Margolis was introduced by Richard Fox, who called Margolis a healer, teacher, and leader. Fox praised Margolis' ability to heal individuals, e.g., colleagues with ethical problems, and organizations. Margolis teaches constantly, said Fox, and has served as mentor to many other leaders. He spreads the psychoanalytic gospel with missionary zeal, and created dozens of committees within APsaA, most of them for outreach efforts. Margolis always encouraged baby steps as the path to change, but, said Fox, “Marvin's baby steps are those of a giant.” In his acceptance remarks, Margolis stressed the need to unify the psychoanalytic world in the U.S., and to nourish and develop our psychoanalytic institutions.
For more information on the Sigourney Trust and the award, go to their Web site, .