few years back, a particular ‘thread’ seemed to dominate much of the conver sation
n the American A ssociation for Psychoanaly sis and Clinical Social Work (AAPCSW)
st serv e to which I subscribe: the current state of clinical education in social work.
What was especially striking to me, as a full-time academic, was how surprised some of
he list serve participants seemed to be that not only psychoanalytic ideas, but clinical
ocial work education as we know it – appears to be imperiled. However , if we are to
e complete ly honest with ourselves, is it possible that this dire state of affairs – and
believe our crisis to be a very real one – has unfol ded silently, without our awareness?
Or, is more akin to an ‘unthought known,’ to borrow Bollas’ evocative term (Bollas,
987)? An even more disturbing thought is whether we, ardent expo nents of
sychoana lysis and all that is best in our clinical traditions, have been compl icit in its
emise? The truth is that palpable resistance to psycho analytic ideas about the huma n
ondition, psychopathol ogy, development and opposition to dynamic approaches to