Working with Clients with Depressive and Self-Defeating Psychologies
Thursday, October 5, 2017
The Brattleboro Retreat
8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Brattleboro, Vermont Nancy McWilliams, PhD, ABPP
What attendees said about Dr. McWilliams' 2015 presentation on "A New Look at Borderline and Psychotic Psychologies: Dimensional Diagnosis and Integrative Treatment":
A brilliant presenter and a brilliant clinician. A real luxury to hear Nancy weave together the literature, clinical vignettes and group contributions in a seamless way.
The speaker was phenomenal (well-educated, well-spoken, kept my interest, likeable, relatable, etc.).
Engaging from beginning to end. Dr. McWilliams has so much knowledge. Would love to attend another of her workshops.
Dr. McWilliams is a highly engaging, insightful speaker. I’m so impressed with her ability to thoughtfully share her trove of clinical wisdom, and I very much appreciate her sense of genuineness and authenticity.
The best conference I’ve been to in years. I appreciated the focus on clinical practice and supportive material related to research. Really wonderful speaker – intelligent, accessible, personable, engaging, humble. Thank you!
Our official taxonomies have not given therapists much help in formulating treatments for people whose depressive and/or self-defeating patterns are embedded in their personalities. Dr. McWilliams will review empirical and clinical evidence for two different presentations of depressive dynamics (with different clinical implications) and will differentiate self-defeating (“masochistic,” “aggrieved”) patterns from depressive patterns. Case material, including a video of Dr. McWilliams interviewing a self-defeating woman, will illustrate these distinctions and draw relevant implications for treatment.
Learning objectives
At the end of this conference, participants will be able to:
1) List the conceptual differences between predominantly depressive and predominantly masochistic personality patterns.
2) Differentiate introjective and anaclitic depressive and masochistic presentations;
3) Explain the clinical implications for these overall conceptualizations;
4) Describe the danger of mutual avoidance of criticism and devaluation with depressive patients;
5) Identify and manage the expectably strong countertransference reactions to clients with recurrent self-defeating patterns.
Nancy McWilliams, PhD, ABPP, teaches at Rutgers Graduate School of Applied & Professional Psychology and practices in New Jersey. She is co-editor of the Psychodynamic Diagnostic Manual (PDM-2). Her books on formulation and treatment are now in 20 languages. She is a former president of Division 39 of the American Psychological Association.
