Community Psychoanalysis: A Contribution to an Emerging Paradigm

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe central argument of this article is that to meet some of the historical and current social and global challenges facing psychoanalysis, contemporary psychoanalysis has an opportunity to expand its repertoire of theory and practice. One potential path forward is the emergence of a community psychoanalysis. The article summarizes the work of Stuart Twemlow and collaborators, who originated the community psychoanalysis paradigm, and goes on to describe the theory and application of three potentially generative group models for psychoanalytic practice: the Social Dreaming Matrix; Open Space Dialogues; and Future Search/Discovery. The article also outlines implications for psychoanalytic institutes’ organizational structure and dynamics.