the FALL 2003 AMERICAN Volume 37, No. 3 PSYCHOANALYST Quarterly Newsletter of The American Psychoanalytic Association Who Killed Julius Caesar? INSIDE TAP... Psychoforensic Analysis of Decisionmaking Under Stress Harold J. Bursztajn Omnibus Science Initiative Update . 6 Psychoanalysis has had a long tradition of informing psy- Fund for Psychoanalytic chohistorical inquiry. Research . 8 Forensic neuropsychi- atry has experienced Virtual Psychoanalytic a rebirth and resur- gence of interest in Society . 11 the courtroom. Two somewhat pio- Architecture and neering applications Psychoanalysis . 12 of psychoanalysis— psychoanalytically informed decision Anna Freud Centre . 14 analysis and psycho- analytically informed with permissionPhoto: Atlantic Productions/used APsaA Campaign neuropsychiatry—can Psychoanalytically informed forensic analysis: raising startling questions about the assassination of Julius Caesar on the Discovery Channel. Statements . 18 deepen understand- ing of such phenom- ena as leadership, political decisionmaking, uncertainty, humans choose based on rational and courtroom processes. Given the chasm self-interest—with the psychoanalytic per- between private and public settings, this may spective that “rational” and “irrational” in a seem paradoxical. given context may not be obvious, common- APsaA Elections Psychoanalytically informed decision analy- sensical, or universal. I use the term “psycho- Candidates for office in the fall sis modifies the assumption of traditional analytically informed neuropsychiatry” to refer 2003 American Psychoanalytic decision analysis—that under conditions of to similar applications of psychoanalysis to Association elections: reconsider “closed” questions reopened by President-elect: K. Lynne Moritz, Harold J. Bursztajn, M.D., has served since advances in modern neurobiology. Judith S. Schachter. 1982 as co-director of the Harvard Medical I was born in Poland just after World War II. Councilor-at-large: Elizabeth School Program in Psychiatry and the Law As a child strolling with my father in Lodz I saw Brett, Joanne E. Callan, Prudence L. at the Massachusetts Mental Health Center strangers rush up to thank him once again Gourguechon, Richard Lightbody, in Boston and is in private practice in for saving their lives as a leader of the Shoah and Robert L. Pyles. Cambridge, Mass. He may be reached resistance. Thus early on I was inspired by Candidates’ statements begin via [email protected]. the wonder of leadership and decisionmak- on page 18. For more information about his work, ing in times of uncertainty, conflict, and crisis. see http://www.forensic-psych.com/. Continued on page 9 THE AMERICAN PSYCHOANALYST • Volume 37, No. 3 1 CONTENTS: Fall 2003 THE AMERICAN PSYCHOANALYTIC ASSOCIATION President: Newell Fisher 3 The Enemy Within Newell Fischer President-Elect: Jon Meyer Secretary: K. Lynne Moritz Treasurer: Warren Procci 4 Mostly Museums: Winter Fun in New York City Arlene Kramer Richards Administrative Director: Ellen Fertig 6 Omnibus Science Initiative: Progress Report Allan Compton THE AMERICAN PSYCHOANALYST Newsletter of the American Psychoanalytic Association Psychoanalytic Science for the Clinical Psychoanalyst: 7 Editor The Power of the Antidepressant “Placebo” Stephen Portuges Prudence Gourguechon Member, Council of Editors of Psychoanalytic Journals The Fund for Psychoanalytic Research Linda C. Mayes 8 Associate Editor Stephen Portuges 10 The Institutional Ego: A Psychoanalytic Consideration National Editor of Ethics Review David H. Brendel K. Lynne Moritz Editorial Board Harriet Basseches, Abbot Bronstein, 11 The Virtual Psychoanalytic Society Humberto Nagera and Frances Marton Randi Finger, Sheri Hunt, Lee Jaffe, Janice Lieberman, Jack Miller, Caryle Perlman, Marie Rudden, 12 Architecture and the Self: Lucy Daniels Foundation Conference Hinda Simon, Michael Slevin, Julie Tepper, Explores Inner and Outer Space Heather Craige Robert S. White, Harriet Wolfe, Sharon Zalusky, Ellen Fertig, ex officio William D. Jeffrey, Consultant 14 New Directions, Directorate for Anna Freud Centre Robert L. Tyson Paul Mosher, Consultant Francine Krasowska, Manuscript & Production Editor 18 APsaA Elections Mervin Stewart, Photo Editor The American Psychoanalyst is published quar- TechNotes: Protecting Your Computer Paul W. Mosher terly. Subscriptions are provided automatically 25 to members of The American Psychoanalytic Association. For non-members, domestic and Canadian subscription rates for 2003 are $32.50 25 Membership: Mid-Career Analysts Discuss How to Join for individuals, $75.00 for institutions. Outside Committees, Write and Present Innovative Papers Zoe Grusky the U.S. and Canada, rates are $52.50 for indi- viduals, $95.00 for institutions. To subscribe, write Journals, The Analytic Press, 810 E. 10th Street, P.O. Box 1897, Lawrence, KS 66044- 28 Politics and Public Policy: An Ordinary Man Bob Pyles 8897; call 800-627-0629 (U.S. and Canada) or 785-843-1325 (elsewhere, fax 785-843-1274); or e-mail [email protected]. ShrinkWatch: “Have a Fireball” Prudy Gourguechon 28 Copyright © 2003 The American Psychoanalytic Association. All rights reserved. No part of this Poetry: Poetry and the Unconscious Sheri Hunt publication may be reproduced, stored in a 29 retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the written permission of The American Psychoanalytic Association, 309 East 31 Council Report: Politics, Governance Dominate June 19 49th Street, New York, New York 10017. Executive Council Meeting ISSN 1052-7958 APsaA Awards at 92nd Annual Meeting Jack A. Miller The American Psychoanalytic Association does 34 not hold itself responsible for statements made in The American Psychoanalyst by contributors or A Time of Change—BOPS After Boston Ronald M. Benson advertisers. Unless otherwise stated, material in 36 The American Psychoanalyst does not reflect the endorsement, official attitude, or position of The American Psychoanalytic Association or The 37 BOPS Report: Board Considers Reorganization, Standards; American Psychoanalyst. Nuetzel Next BOPS Chair 2 THE AMERICAN PSYCHOANALYST • Volume 37, No. 3 FROM THE PRESIDENT and isolate ourselves from other mental health The Enemy Within professionals. We draw unfair, demoralizing, Newell Fischer and judgmental divisions between “real analy- sis” and “analytically oriented” work. Com- In previous columns I have supported the As I travel and menting on the defensive and self-aggrandizing strategies and plans that enhance local out- meet with our nature of these behaviors and attitudes seems reach to communities, potential candidates, societies, I feel superfluous for this readership. and patients. These grassroots programs are encouraged, and We are drained and depleted by internal diverse and evolve from the specific needs of I sense a new organizational struggles.This is clearly evident the community. Participating in teaching and vigor and creativ- on the national scene but is equally visible at seminars, holding discussions at art festivals, ity. Our member- the local society and institute level. It is very being involved in community services, hosting ship is increasingly difficult to invest in outreach if one is angry parent-child seminars, designing scientific meet- aware of how with and disillusioned by the local or national ings to be more inviting to other professionals, important it is to group. A few examples from my travels may Newell Fischer and providing room under our psychoanalytic emerge from illustrate this. umbrella to accommodate those interested in splendid isolation and to make a clear state- A town meeting with Society/Institute X understanding the mind—these are just a few ment about what we can offer, our unique seemed to go quite well.The discussion was examples of these efforts. analytic perspective and understanding, and lively and “flowed.” There were some innova- John Blamphin, an expert communication how psychoanalysis can help people attain a tive ideas. I noticed, however, that most of the consultant and former public affairs director of greater degree of personal freedom and a participants were “preaching to the choir”— the American Psychiatric Association, advised us, richer life. Mystification may temporarily attract relating the value of psychoanalysis and analytic attention, but it does little to enrich our pro- thinking—and I found myself working to focus Your outreach must be both national fession, and aloofness serves to further iso- on the question, “What are we going to do through “The American” and local late us as clinicians. locally to increase practice, to attract more through societies and institutes. You I see growth and I experience progress in our candidates, and to improve the tarnished image are known nationally as a profession efforts to “mix it up” with our communities and of psychoanalysis and psychoanalysts?” There and an association. But as “all politics to let it be known that analysts are thoughtful, were only a handful of younger members is local,” individual psychoanalysts don’t knowledgeable, and humane professionals who present, and they seemed unusually quiet. Sev- exist nationally; you live and work in make important contributions. eral days after the meeting, I received a letter from one of the more junior members:“Our energy and outlook [are undermined] by an “In the end, it will be grassroots psychoanalysts as individuals unreflected-upon patrimony. … The ‘Seniors’ who make the case for psychoanalytic theory. Individual did not