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Treating Psychosis Today: A Lacanian Perspective - Stijn Vanheule, PhD (Webinar live online)
2025 Grand Round Series
This presentation first explores key concepts from Jacques Lacan’s psychoanalytic theory of psychosis, highlighting its role as one of several ways humans navigate existential dilemmas such as sexuality and love. According to Lacan’s 1950s theory, psychosis arises when conventional frameworks for making sense of reality collapse due to the absence of the so-called Name-of-the-Father, the central organizing element of symbolically structured mental life. When life events bring existential dilemmas to the forefront, psychotic episodes may be triggered.
Building on this foundation, the talk examines how Lacan’s later works from the 1960s and 1970s—particularly his ideas on the fundamental non-rapport structuring mental life—further refine our understanding of psychotic experiences. Particular attention will be given to the role of creativity and invention in overcoming psychotic crises.
Finally, the implications of the Lacanian model of psychosis for clinical practice will be discussed, with a focus on ethical positioning, addressing the unconscious, handling transference, and navigating crisis and stability in psychosis.
Target Audience
______ Introductory _____x_ Intermediate ______ Advanced
Learning Objectives
- Describe how Lacan’s theory of psychosis implies non-conventional responding to existential dilemma’s
- Describe how creativity may respond to primary process associations in psychosis
- Describe how transference tends to take shape in psychosis
Stijn Vanheule, PhD, is a clinical psychologist, psychoanalyst, and professor at Ghent University in Belgium. Since 2014, he has served as the head of the department of Psychoanalysis and Clinical Consulting at the university. He is a member of the New Lacanian School of Psychoanalysis and the World Association of Psychoanalysis and maintains a private practice in Ghent.
His research interests include psychoanalytic theory, particularly Lacanian psychoanalysis, and the recovery processes in severe mental illnesses such as psychosis. He critically examines how diagnostic and therapeutic practices, as well as societal dynamics, influence recovery.
Vanheule is the author of over 200 peer-reviewed papers in academic journals and several books, including Why Psychosis is Not So Crazy, The Subject of Psychosis: A Lacanian Perspective, and Psychiatric Diagnosis Revisited: From DSM to Clinical Case Formulation. Together with Derek Hook and Calum Neill, he serves as an editor for the Routledge book series Reading Lacan's Écrits and Reading Lacan's Autres Écrits.
Austen Riggs Center Inc. adheres to the ACCME’s Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Medical Education. All those at Austen Riggs Center involved in the planning of this activity, including the presenter(s) listed above, report they have no relevant financial relationships with an ineligible company*.
The views and opinions expressed in this presentation are those of the presenter(s) and do not necessarily represent the official policy or position of the Austen Riggs Center.
* An ineligible company is any entity whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.
Available Credit
- 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
ACCME - As a Jointly Accredited Organization, The Austen Riggs Center, Inc. designates this learning activity for a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
- 1.00 APA
As a Jointly Accredited Organization, The Austen Riggs Center, Inc. designates this learning activity for 1.00 continuing education credit(s) (CE) for psychology. Continuing Education (CE) credits for psychologists are provided through the co-sponsorship of the American Psychological Association (APA) Office of Continuing Education in Psychology (CEP). The APA CEP Office maintains responsibility for the content of the programs.
Austen Riggs Center, Inc. is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0115.
- 1.00 ASWB-ACE
As a Jointly Accredited Organization, The Austen Riggs Center, Inc is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organization, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. Austen Riggs Center maintains responsibility for this. Social workers completing this Online live will receive 1.00 continuing education credit(s).Austen Riggs Center, Inc is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0843.
- 1.00 Contact Hours/ ParticipationA certificate of attendance for all Learners.