[FALL26] Poetry for Clinicians: Poems that Facilitate Emotional Connection

Poetry for Clinicians: Poems that facilitate Emotional Connection

takes Place September 23rd from 6pm-8pm ET

Presenter:

Sandra Buechler, Ph.D. is a Training and Supervising Analyst at the William Alanson White Institute. She is the author of Clinical Values: Emotions that Guide Psychoanalytic Treatment, (Analytic Press, 2004), Making a Difference in Patients’ Lives, (Routledge, 2008), which won the Gradiva award, Still Practicing: The Heartaches and Joys of a Clinical Career, (Routledge, 2012), Understanding and Treating Patients in Clinical Psychoanalysis: Lessons from Literature, (Routledge, 2015) Psychoanalytic Reflections: Training and Practice, (IPBooks, 2017) Psychoanalytic Approaches to Problems in Living, (Routledge, 2019), Poetic Dialogues (IPBooks, 2021) and Erich Fromm: A Contemporary Introduction (Routledge, 2024). Dr. Buechler has lectured widely, recently in the United States, Mexico, Japan, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Ukraine, and Chile.

Description:

Poets often capture the human condition in succinct, emotionally evocative language. When a line of poetry spontaneously occurs to the clinician in a session, it may serve several functions, whether or not it is spoken out loud. Chosen by a process that is, at first, beneath conscious awareness, it may inspire greater understanding of the feelings being expressed by both participants. It may help clinicians connect the material with emotionally vivid experiences in their own personal lives. Sometimes, in a session, quoting the line facilitates a sense of greater mutual understanding. In this workshop the presenter will discuss this use of poetry and share poems that she has found can serve these functions.

Learning Objectives:

1) Identify poems that convey the essence of challenging situations often brought up in treatment.

2)  Describe qualities of lines of poetry that communicate empathic understanding.

3)  Explain how poetry can further our own introspection about the life experiences we bring to the therapeutic process.

Timeline and Requirements:

This course will take place on September 23rd from 6:00pm to 8:00pm ET. This will be conducted synchronously online via Zoom.

CE Sponsorship:

Pending approval

Fees and Policies: 

Payment is due by credit card at registration. Refunds will be granted only up until registration closes at 5pm on September 23rd. No refunds will be granted for errors on the participant's part (such as incorrect name/email upon registration, login failure, scheduling conflicts, etc.).

We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals to engage fully. If you need to request an accommodation or ask a question about accessibility, please contact wcas.cece@bc.edu.

Additional offerings from the Woods College Office of Continuing Education and Community Engagement can be found on our website.