| A Short History of SITE Events |
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The Site for Contemporary Psychoanalysis aims to raise the profile of psychoanalysis as a clinical practice and as a mode of cultural and intellectual enquiry.Our annual conference provides a forum for debate and discussion of contemporary psychoanalytic theories with reference to the many issues raised by clinical work. This year we explored the continuing influence of Winnicott on training, psychosis and clinical practice as well as papers which offered a reading of some of his most important ideas through the perpectives of Bergson and Agamben. Our previous conferences, 'Why Jung?' and 'Why Lacan?' included speakers from Jungian and Lacanian organisations as well as members of The Site. The papers from last year's conference on homosexuality and psychoanalysis are published in our home journal, 'Sitegeist'. In 2009 we will put on a conference on psychoanalysis and class and we are also planning to mount a large event to explore and critique the phenomenon of CBT. Other public events have included talks by writers, philosophers and analysts, including Hanif Kureishi, Darian Leader, Andrew Samuels, Peter Osborne and Jacqueline Rose. Site analysts have also held dialogues with analysts and cultural figures who have connected strongly with contemporary issues in their work: Chris Oakley with Adam Phillips on the subject of writing psychoanalysis. Noreen O'Connor with the founder of the Women's therapy centre, Susie Orbach. Martin Sherman was interviewed by Alan Pope about his writing for theatre and Stephen Gee talked to Phyllida Lloyd about her production of 'The Ring' at the English National Opera. The website has an application form for the clinical training in psychoanalysis and you can download recent seminar programmes. We will also be holding another series of workshops in 2009 open to anyone interested in working with and thinking about psychoanalytic ideas. We welcome members of 'core' professions in health and education as well as artists, writers and academics who have an interest in psychoanalysis. In June 2008 we celebrated the 10th anniversary of the founding of The Site at The Freud Museum. It was auspicious that the date we chose, June 6th, was 70 years to the day that Freud arrived in England. Around 80 guests joined us in a party and a conversation with authors, all members of the Site, who have recently published in the field of psychoanalysis. Over the coming years we have a strong desire to continue to develop a 'site' in which thinkers from different disciplines as well as practitioners from the various schools of psychoanalysis and psychotherapy can meet and benefit from debate and conversation. |