Transference Interpretation Then and Now

An Online Study and Discussion Group facilitated by

JoAnn Ponder, PhD & Marianna Adler, PhD

Instructional Level: Intermediate to Advanced

A Note from the HPS Program Chair: This study group explores the concept of interpretation as psychoanalytic theory has evolved over the years. Among the contemporary scholars whose views we will consider is Donnel Stern, who presented a conference on imagination and interpretation for HPS last fall. Our study group begins soon after another HPS conference on interpretation and also includes articles by those conference presenters (Rachel Blass, Giuseppe Civitarese, Richard Geist, and Frank Summers). ***** JoAnn Ponder

From the inception of psychoanalysis, insight and interpretation were considered cornerstones of a depth-oriented treatment. Some scholars still believe this, whereas others view interpretation as one technique among others. Moreover, the focus of interpretation has shifted as new schools of psychoanalytic thought originated. This study group will explore the concept of interpretation as psychoanalytic theory evolved over the years. While volumes have been written about this topic, our group will read and discuss only a small sample of the available literature. The selected articles include a few classic treatises about interpretation, historical surveys and reviews written by scholars in the field, and thoughts from a variety of contemporary psychoanalysts. 

This study group is intended for scholars and clinicians who have a good grasp of psychoanalytic theory and its various schools of thought. The group will be limited to 22 participants. Group members should be willing to attend the meetings regularly and complete the assigned readings. The readings will be supplied to the participants. 

JoAnn Ponder, PhD is a psychologist-psychoanalyst who has a private practice in Austin, Texas. She previously worked with children, but now works primarily with adults, though a developmental perspective continues to inform her treatments. JoAnn completed her training at the Center for Psychoanalytic Studies in Houston, where she formerly served on the faculty. She also completed postgraduate training in infant-parent mental health intervention, Jungian sandplay therapy, and object relational family and couples therapy. She is an active member of the American Psychoanalytic Association, the Society for Psychoanalysis and Psychoanalytic Psychology (Division 39 of the American Psychological Association), and the International Association for Relational Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy. For the past 3 years, she has served as program chair for the Houston Psychoanalytic Society. JoAnn has presented papers at national and international psychoanalytic conferences and published on a variety of topics. Her clinical papers offer an integrated perspective from various schools of psychoanalytic thought, including ego psychology, object relations, and relational psychoanalysis.

Marianna Adler, PhD is a psychologist-psychoanalyst who works in private practice in Austin, Texas. Prior to her training in psychology and psychoanalysis, Marianna studied cultural anthropology, a discipline which still informs her psychoanalytic thinking. She completed her psychoanalytic training at the Center for Psychoanalytic Studies where she is currently on the faculty. Marianna is certified in psychoanalysis by the American Board of Psychoanalysis. She has previously presented papers for both the Houston Psychoanalytic Society and Austin Psychoanalytic, a Division 39 organization. In these papers she explored such topics as creative inhibitions, the ethics of psychoanalysis, mourning, shame, and the work of Lacan and Bion. Marianna draws on a variety of psychoanalytic perspectives, including, but not limited to, object relations (both the British and American tradition), relational psychoanalysis, ego psychology, and the work of Bion.  

Syllabus compiled by JoAnn Ponder, PhD

Session 1 - April 8: Classical Psychoanalytic View of Interpretation

Strachey, J. (1934). The nature of the therapeutic action of psycho-analysis. International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 15: 127-159.

Eagle, M. N. (2023). Interpreting interpretation. Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association, 71: 1175-1210.

(optional) Blass, R. (2023). On the nature of transference interpretation and why only it can bring about analytic change. International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 104: 701-721.

Objectives

1. Summarize Strachey’s concept of mutative interpretations
2. Differentiate “deep” interpretations from interpretations of defensive processes just below the surface of consciousness.
3. State why Blass believes that only transference interpretations can bring about real analytic change.

Session 2 - April 15: The Evolution of Two-Person Models and Changing Views of Interpretation

Joseph, B. (1985). Transference: The total situation. International Journal of Psychoanalysis 66: 447-454.

Loewald, H. W. (1986). Transference-countertransference. Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association, 34: 275-287.

Blum, H. P. (2016). Interpretation and contemporary reinterpretation. Psychoanalytic Inquiry, 36: 40-51.

Zeavin, L. (2023). Interpretation: Time, timing, loss, and recovery in the analytic hour. Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association, 71: 1085-1106.  

(optional) Summers, F. (2021). The analyst’s vision of the patient and the dialectic of interpretation. Psychoanalytic Social Work, 28: 134-148.

Objectives

1. Describe Joseph’s concept of transference as the total situation, and how this differs from prior views of transference.
2. Explain how our concept and practice of interpretation changed with the development of two-person models of development and treatment in psychoanalysis.

Session 3 - April 22: Self-Psychological Views of Interpretation

Lachmann, F. M. (1986.) Interpretation of psychic conflict and adversarial relationships: A self-psychological perspective. Psychoanalytic Psychology, 3: 341-355.

Tolpin, M. (2002). Chapter 11: Doing psychoanalysis of normal development: Forward edge transferences. Progress in Self-Psychology, 18: 167-190.

Geist, R. A. (2020). Interpretation as carrier of selfobject functions: Catalyzing inborn potential. Psychoanalysis, Self, and Context, 15: 338-347.

Objectives

1. Differentiate forward edge and trailing edge transferences.
2. Explain the meaning and implications of interpretation being a carrier of selfobject functions.

Session 4 - April 29: Intersubjective and Non-Interpretative Mechanisms of Change

Ogden, T. H. (1997). Reverie and interpretation. Psychoanalytic Quarterly, 66: 567-595.

Stern, D. N., Sander, L. W., Nahum, J. P., Harrison, A. M., Lyons-Ruth, K., Morgan, A. C., Bruschweiler-Stern, N. & Tronick, E. Z. (1998). Non-interpretive mechanisms in psychoanalytic therapy: The ‘something more’ than interpretation. International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 79: 903-921.

Busch, F. (2014). Working within the transference. In F. Busch, Creating a psychoanalytic mind: A psychoanalytic method and theory. Routledge, pp. 99-114.

Objectives

1. Describe some non-interpretative factors that might contribute to a patient’s change in psychoanalytic treatment.
2. Explain why talking is still important in treatment.

Session 5 - May 6: Interpretation from the Viewpoints of Analytic Field Theory

Ferro, A. (2004). Interpretation: Signals from the analytic field and emotional transformations. International Forum of Psychoanalysis, 13: 31-38.

Civitarese, G. (2021). The limits of interpretation. A reading of Bion’s “On Arrogance.” International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 102: 236-257.

Stern, D. B. (2023). Interpretation: Voice of the field. Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association, 71: 1127-1148.

Objectives

1. Describe the main characteristics of transformative interpretations from the viewpoint of analytic field theory.
2. Describe why Stern considers interpretations meaningful, and how they contribute to therapeutic action.  

IMAGE depicting insight from Shutterstock

APA Accreditation Statement

Houston Psychoanalytic Society is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Houston Psychoanalytic Society maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

HPS, through co-sponsorship with the Center for Psychoanalytic Studies, also offers approved CEUs for Texas state-approved social workers, licensed professional counselors, and marriage and family therapists.