Dr Chris Nicholson
Title: Freud, the Psychodynamic Approach and its application today
This talk will cover the main ideas that constitute Freud’s ‘psychodynamic approach’ - the unconscious, defence mechanisms, his three phases of theoretical development, the psychosexual stages of development, and the Oedipus Complex. Along the way, I will address Freudian ‘metapsychology’, its epistemological status and connection with contemporary neurology. Finally, I will illustrate the continuing efficacy of the psychodynamic approach with several case examples drawn from my own practice. The Freud that emerges will be more interesting and suggestive, and more relevant to the irrationality and complexity of contemporary social and political life.
Title: Understanding and working with young people who self-harm
This talk provides an introduction to self-harm that shine a new light upon the symbolic and communicative function of self-harm and shows how therapeutic practitioners, educationalists and others can work with this counter-intuitive behaviour more effectively.
Based in his direct experience of therapeutic work with male and female adolescents in therapeutic communities, Chris will begin by defining trauma and how this can be understood psychodynamically. He will describe the prevalence and characteristics of self-harm, before pointing to the significance of a surprising connection between self-harm and adolescent initiation rites. Finally, Chris will present two examples that demonstrate the symbolic and communicative function of self-harm, and indicate how teachers and other practitioners can work together to support young people who self-harm in, educational settings.
ATP 2026
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