Freud's Reading Room: Civilization & Its Discontents
Presented in partnership with The Freud Museum London
16 Continuing Education Credits
On Demand
Live course ran: Saturdays June 5- July 24, 2021
This course is On Demand:
Join us for live online weekly readings and discussion of sections of Freud’s Civilization and its Discontents (1931). Still relevant today, bringing Freud's wisdom into our contemporary circumstances. Experience the therapeutic power of live group readings.
Presented in partnership with The Freud Museum London.
“I may now add that civilization is a process in the service of Eros, whose purpose is to combine single human individuals, and after that families, then races, peoples and nations, into one great unity, the unity of mankind”
In this experiential, interactive course, we will read Freud’s influential and wide-ranging work Civilization and its Discontents (1931) live as a group and discuss its place within the Freudian corpus. Focusing on the socially interconnected nature of and healing power of live readings will allow us to experience information from the deep unconscious.We will embark on a ‘textual’ reading of the work, paying close attention to the narrative devices and subtleties of language employed by Freud. Through group readings and in-depth discussions, we will bring Freud’s wisdom into our contemporary circumstances.
Freud published Civilization and Its Discontents between WWI and WWII. The book was controversial as were many of Freud’s writings, yet very popular at the same time. Freud poses a paradox that civilization as we know it relies on the repression of certain human drives and that this repression can lead us to be deeply unhappy. Despite the negative impacts that the civilising process can have on individuals, Freud will emphasise its positive value. We will examine the implications is this paradox throughout our sessions.
Developed in practice over several years, this unique course is a powerful collective social experience. Focusing on the socially interconnected nature of and healing power of live readings will allow us to experience information from the deep unconscious. This exercise will inform us about ourselves, the other, and the movement of psychic energy within the collective.
Freud’s relevant and timeless work will be shared in a social assembly, fostering new thinking and “seeing” through the collective narratives present almost 100 years ago and still present today, particularly in light of recent social and political concerns, and the continuing impact of the pandemic.
15% of proceeds will be donated to The Freud Museum London.
Who Is This For?
- Those with an interest in exploring Freud with a global community
- Psychotherapists
- Mental health professionals
- World and life-learners
- Those with an interest in Freudian literature and its relevance in the modern world
*No prior experience or knowledge required!
Learning Objectives
- Describe Freud’s analysis of the factors within civilization that produce discontentedness and malaise.
- Analyze Freud’s rejection of the ‘oceanic feeling’ as the source of religion and the nuances of his arguments around the foundational nature of the sense of guilt.
- Assess the implications of Freud’s conception of the individual within society, with particular reference to the possibility of happiness.
- Explain Freud’s second dual instinct theory, and how civilization is a product of the interplay of Eros and the Death Instinct.
- Analyze how Freud employs narrative devices throughout the work to further his argument.
- Assess the relevance of Civilization and its Discontents to today, with particular reference to contemporary social and political phenomena, the pandemic, and how these all affect the clinical hour.
- Describe and discuss the therapeutic power of live group readings.
How does it work?
- The online reading of Civilization And Its Discontents will meet Saturdays June 5- July 24, 2021, 10am PST via Zoom for 2 hours.
- Once registered, you will receive your log-in information and the weekly text to read.
- Everyone who would like to participate will get a section to read in a safe, fun, playful environment.
Can’t make it live? No problem a video recording will be made available.
Facilitators
Tom DeRose
Tom DeRose is Research Manager at the Freud Museum London. He founded the Freud Museum staff and volunteer reading group in 2015, which has been meeting weekly ever since. His research explores the philosophical aspects and cultural implications of Freud’s theories, and his most recent publications include an article comparing the work of Freud, Wagner, and Nietzsche for the Wagner Journal (July 2017). He is currently writing chapters on psychoanalysis and music for The Bloomsbury Handbook of Literature and Psychoanalysis (forthcoming).
Dr. Leslee S. Brown, PhD
Dr. Brown is President and Director of Mind Body Passport Inc. designing and leading international trips and online international courses for adult professionals, offering continuing education credits worldwide. Dr. Brown's interests are multi-faceted, engaging topics of psychology, culture, art, psychoanalysis, social dreaming, and mythology, and narrative stories as a therapeutic modality. She is passionate about weaving many disciplines and interests together and creating an atmosphere of growth and learning. She also served as The Director of International Seminars and Gastprofessor at Sigmund Freud University, Vienna. International psychology and developing “psychologists without borders” has become her focus. Dr. Brown has been in private practice for over twenty years, has been a research psychologist for The Neurologic Institute and has served on faculty at UCLA Medical School teaching psychology and rapport building techniques to medical students. Dr. Brown was also Assistant Professor at The Chicago School and Director of Centers for International Studies. Leslee lives and works part-time in Los Angeles, part-time in Paris, and the rest of the time is traveling the world.
Cost
$219 Pay in full, SAVE $30, (Regular price $249)
Payment plan: three monthly payments of $84
For Freud Museum members & e news subscribers $199
15% of the proceeds will be donated to The Freud Museum London.
*Mind Body Passport is committed to offering low-cost webinars during this time of crisis, to educate mental health professionals and others to better serve their communities. As a small business, I know finances are difficult and the events of the past few weeks are a tragic and deeply emotional time for us all. If you are in need and can not afford our seminars, please email us for financial assistance.
Mind Body Passport is approved by the California Psychological Association to provide continuing professional education for psychologists. Mind Body Passport maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
This post-licensure course will be at an appropriate instructional level for participants with a wide range of experience from beginner to advanced.
Mind Body Passport Inc. is also recognized as a CAMFT-approved Continuing Education Provider. Certificate awarded upon successful completion.
* Post-course test is required for continuing education credits.
Questions?
Contact Dr. Leslee Brown at info@mindbodypassport.com for a free one-on-one consultation.