Every Other Tuesday from May 27-July 8 | 7:00-8:30PM (ET) | Fully Online Workshop
Description:
“Confessors would be the greatest novelists the world has ever had if they could relate the stories which are whispered into their ears in the confession box.” In the century and half since this acute observation by the French novelist Jules Barbey D’Aurevilly, psychotherapists have largely replaced the clergy in their uncommon access to the deepest, richest cache of untold tales. Hidden among the medicalized dispassion of their case notes are crimes, sacrifices, farces, and triumphs—all the elements of any genre of literary masterpiece. But, much like their frocked predecessors, clinicians are often discouraged from enjoying their access to this inexhaustible material. While therapy may not have the inviolable seal of the confessional, it is highly sensitive and confidential; the events disclosed belong to the patient, and they are shared not to enlighten or entertain a general audience but to relieve the symptoms of a specific individual suffering from a specific disorder. Psychotherapists are engaged to heal, or at least ameliorate, well-defined pathologies with the assistance of empirical science. Their vocation is something, ostensibly, altogether distinct from that of the author.
Cutting against this common presupposition is the vast history of cross-pollination between psychology and literature. Freud leaned on Flaubert and Hoffman; Woolf and Mann were influenced by Freud. Nietzsche learned his psychology from Emerson and Stendhal. Milan Kundera’s best novels belong to Nietzsche. It has been said that Shakespeare was the greatest reader of Montaigne, and it might be said that Dante was the greatest reader of Aquinas. Could there have been a Racine without a Pascal, a Euripides without a Socrates, a Hemingway without an Ecclesiastes? Scrutinize any work of literature from the last two millennia, and you will find it not only has an author, but also at least one psychologist, to whom it owes its existence. Do the same for landmark works in psychology, and you will notice, how until relatively recently, such studies not only rely upon myths and stories as comfortably as firsthand experience, but all are compelling narratives in their own right. To borrow a phrase, literature without psychology is empty, and psychology without literature is blind.
The aim of this course is to demonstrate to clinicians, first, that they can learn from the techniques of literature to produce compelling case studies that will improve the experience of their patients and the knowledge of the psychological community, and second, that their training and experience are an unmatched preparation for writing novels, plays, essays, and other creative works. These goals will be accomplished by analyzing fiction that centers on the confessions of troubled anti-heroes (which bear some resemblance to the kinds of disclosures one might find in the clinical setting), non-fiction essays that attempt psychological analysis for a broad public, and psychological tracts that demonstrate marked literary merit.
Learning Objectives:
At the conclusion of this workshop, attendees will be able to:
Session 1 (5/27) - The Psychological Novel – Dostoevsky, Notes From Underground
- Identify the literary devices of Dostoevsky's novel
- Describe the psychological impact of Dostoevsky's technique on the reader
- Explain how skills learned from Dostoevsky can improve the participant's case study composition
- Explain how skills learned from Dostoevsky can transform the participant’s case notes into a novella
Session 2 (6/10) - The Psychological Drama – Shakespeare, Richard III
- Identify the literary devices of Shakespeare’s drama
- Describe the psychological impact of Shakespeare’s technique on the reader
- Explain how skills learned from Shakespeare can improve the participant’s case study composition Explain how skills learned from Shakespeare can transform the participant’s case notes into a drama
Session 3 (6/24) - The Psychological Essay – Borges, Pascal's Sphere; Hazlitt, On the Pleasure of Hating; Montaigne, Repenting
- Identify the literary devices of Borges, Hazlitt, and Montaigne, Repenting
- Describe the psychological impact of Borges’, Hazlitt’s, and Montaigne’s technique on the reader Explain how skills learned from Borges, Hazlitt, and Montaigne can improve the participant’s case study composition
- Explain how skills learned from Borges, Hazlitt, and Montaigne can write the participant’s own psychological essay
Session 4 (7/8) - The Literary Case Study – Yalom, Love's Executioner
- Identify the literary devices of Yalom
- Describe the psychological impact of Yalom’s technique on the reader
- Practice responsible employment of case notes
- Apply learned skills from Yalom to writing the participant’s own literary case study
Timeline and Requirements:
The course will take place every other Tuesday, beginning May 27 - July 8, 2025. This workshop is presenter-led and is a fully online experience. This will be conducted synchronously online via Zoom from 7:00-8:30 pm (ET).
CE Sponsorship:
This workshop does not offer CEs for other clinicians not listed below, and we only grant CEs for synchronous attendance of events. Participants must attend the workshop in full and complete the post event survey to be eligible to receive CEs.
University Counseling Services of Boston College is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. As a co-sponsor of this program, University Counseling Services of Boston College maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Participants will be eligible to receive 6.0 CE units from the University Counseling Services of Boston College.
The Center for Psychological Humanities and Ethics is providing sponsorship for CEUs for Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHC). Participants will be eligible to receive 6.0 CE units. These credits are accepted by the Massachusetts Board of Registration for Licensed Mental Health Counselors (Category 1 contact hours in Content Area 1)
Application for social work continuing education credits has been submitted. Please contact us at psychumanities@bc.edu for the status of social work CE accreditation.
Conflict of Interest Notification
A potential conflict of interest, commercial support, and/or commercial interest applies to sponsoring organizations, the presenter, and the content of the presentation. Participants are advised that the presenter's books are listed on the promotional materials and will be referenced in the professional development. Thus, there are potential biases inherent in accepting inducements that might affect the selection of texts, the use of particular tests, and/or sponsorship of CE courses. During this program, William J. Hendel, JD, will discuss the utility/validity of the content/approach offered as well as the limitations of the approach and the most common (and severe) risks, if any exist.
Fees & Policies:
Payment is due by credit card at registration. Refunds will be granted only up until registration closes at 7pm on May 27th. No refunds will be granted for errors on the participant's part (such as incorrect name/email upon registration, login failure, scheduling conflicts, etc.).
This workshop is made possible through the support of Grant 62632 from the John Templeton Foundation. The opinions expressed by these presenters do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation.
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.
