Event—Adult Education

Psychoanalysis: History, Theory, Practice

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Consider the history of psychoanalytic concepts like the unconscious, fantasy, and death drive.

Man dreaming, postcard. Source: The Newberry Library, John I. Monroe collection of artist-signed postcards.

Class Description

After existing in the shadow of behavioral therapy for the last half century, psychoanalysis—previously deemed too antiquated, unscientific, misogynistic, etc.—has undergone a massive resurgence in recent years. This class, by demonstrating how classic psychoanalytic theory gets translated into contemporary therapeutic practice, aims to make sense of this recuperation. Our goal is to both account for this renewed interest in psychoanalysis, and to explore the value of psychoanalytic concepts such as the unconscious, fantasy, and death drive today.

Harrison Sherrod manages a film production company by day and teaches seminars at the Newberry by night. Emma Furman is a social work professional, with extensive experience in counseling, substance use treatment, grief work, and therapeutic group facilitation.

What to Expect

Format: In Person

Class Capacity: 18

Class Style: Mix of lecture and discussion; participation encouraged

Materials List

Required

  • Instructor-Distributed Materials

First Reading

  • Please read chapters 1 and 2 from "Psychoanalysis: A Very Short Introduction."

Cost and Registration

4 Sessions, $175 ($157.50 for Newberry members, seniors, and students). Learn about becoming a member.

We offer our classes at three different price options: Regular ($175), Community Supported ($160), and Sponsor ($185). Following the models of other institutions, we want to ensure that our classes are accessible to a wider audience while continuing to support our instructors. You may choose the price that best fits your situation when registering through Learning Stream.

To register multiple people for this class, please go through the course calendar in Learning Stream, our registration platform. When you select the course and register, you’ll be prompted to add another registrant.

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Call us at (312) 255-3700 or send us an email at adulteducation@newberry.org.

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