As Psychoanalysis has evolved in the 21^st Century, psychoanalysts have grappled with how to broaden the application of psychoanalytic theory and technique in community settings to reduce the prevalence of mental health disorders. As strategies have been sought to supportively intervene with the mental health, learning, and behavioral problems of the general population, Consultee-Centered Consultation, informed by psychoanalytic theory, has evolved as a framework for working with professionals and para-professionals providing a range of caregiving and educational services to persons of all ages.

Contrasting with Client-Centered Consultation, in which a consultant is “called in” to evaluate and problem-solve regarding a particular client or clients of a program—a model inherently hierarchical and prescriptive, Consultee-Centered Consultation focuses on supporting the providers of care, education, and service, to enable them to be more empowered, confident, and effective in work that can often lead to frustration and burnout. A growing body of research supports how regular and ongoing consultation, intermittently provided to such providers leads to enduring improved job performance and satisfaction and also leads to improved outcomes realized by the clientele which they serve.

This introductory half-day seminar will provide:

• An overview of the model and format of Consultee-Centered Consultation.
• A consideration of how psychoanalytic theory (including psychoanalytic developmental theory) facilitates both the consultation process and, ultimately, a deeper understanding of the behavior of the clients of the caregivers, educators, or service providers.
• A description of how the consultation relationship unfolds, develops, and evolves into meaningful and demonstrative change (sometimes called “turnings”) in the attitudes and understanding of those professionals and para-professionals.
• Information regarding identified outcomes of such psychoanalytically informed consultee-centered consultation impacting both the service providers and their clientele.
• An annotated bibliography of articles describing the model, its history, development, utilization, and supportive research.

Objectives: Participants will be able to

1. Identify a variety of venues wherein psychoanalytic consultee-centered consultation has been successfully utilized and describe the steps necessary to introduce, develop and maintain consultation relationships in those venues.
2. Articulate aspects of the process of change that occurs during and because of the interaction between consultant and consultees.
3. List positive consultee and client outcomes extending from such consultation interventions.

Course Level: Intermediate

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