Psychodynamic Practice in the Philadelphia Community (PPIPC) 

(THIS GROUP IS CURRENTLY ON HIATUS, PLEASE CHECK BACK IN THE FUTURE!)

Psychoanalytic therapy was originally envisioned as a form of treatment accessible to everyone, not only those of means.  Layers of consciousness and deep emotional experience are alive in every one of us, embedded in aspects of our community and cultural identity (e.g., race, ethnicity, social class, gender, sexual orientation, ability status, and others). Unfortunately, in recent years trends towards, short-term, symptom-focused approaches have influenced the practice of community mental health towards a monochromatic lens of treatment that often neglects these unconscious aspects of clients’ experiences. This forces both clinicians and clients alike to conform to a form of treatment that doesn't always fit and may be downright problematic for some clients. While psychodynamic practice in the Philadelphia community mental health system is alive, it is unclear how well it is. The clinicians who provide psychodynamic treatment, often under pressures to utilize other specific forms of treatment (and, at times, paid more for doing so), need support in continuing to utilize and develop their skills for the benefits of the clients. 

This monthly group aims to provide a reflective discussion for psychodynamically-oriented clinicians who work in community mental health in the Philadelphia region. The group meets on the fourth Thursday of every month from 7:00-8:30 to discuss psychoanalytic ideas as they relate to community practice. There is an optional reading each month for participants who would like to further their knowledge of psychoanalytic ideas, particularly relational/intersubjective theory and practice. Graduate students are welcome, though it is requested that they have a current or past placement in a community mental health setting.