About Patrick Casement

Patrick Casement is a pioneering figure in psychoanalysis and psychotherapy, known for his innovative approach to therapy and his influential writings. His journey from probation officer and social worker to celebrated psychoanalyst has shaped his unique perspective on the therapeutic process. Patrick’s groundbreaking book, “On Learning from the Patient” (1985), challenged traditional notions of the therapist’s role and has become a classic in the field.

Despite his ongoing battle with Parkinson’s disease, Patrick Casement generously agreed to share his insights in this landmark interview, demonstrating his enduring commitment to psychoanalytic thought. This interview may be one of the last opportunities to hear directly from this influential thinker, making it an invaluable chance to celebrate his life’s work and legacy.

Recording Highlights

• A unique opportunity to watch Patrick Casement’s first recorded interview filmed recently at his home
• In-depth discussion of Patrick’s groundbreaking approach to psychoanalysis and psychotherapy, including his emphasis on “learning from the patient”
• Exploration of key concepts such as internal supervision, trial identification, his thinking around the dynamics of interactive communication such as ‘communication by impact’ and ‘unconscious hope’, the analytic space and the importance of ‘not-knowing’ in therapy
• Personal reflections on his own analytic journey and how it shaped his therapeutic approach
• Insights into his influential works and their impact on relational and intersubjective approaches to psychotherapy
• Special guests discussing Patrick’s considerable legacy in the mental health field

Topics that were covered:

• The art of “non certainty” and remaining open to fresh understandings in therapy
• Patrick’s unique contributions to psychoanalytic technique and thinking
• Patrick’s reflections on his career, including poignant case studies and personal experiences
• The patient’s ‘unconscious search’ for understanding and authenticity, and how to facilitate it
• Patrick’s views on the pitfalls of relying too heavily on theory in clinical practice
• Learning from our mistakes

This exclusive interview offers a rare glimpse into the mind of one of psychoanalysis’s most influential thinkers and practitioners. This recording will resonate with mental health professionals, students, and anyone fascinated by the complexities of the human mind, offering both intellectual enrichment and emotional depth.

Special Guests

The interview with Patrick Casement is followed by a panel of special guests to discuss his legacy and his personal impact on them.

Professor Nancy McWilliams

Professor Nancy McWilliams has devoted her career to teaching clinically useful psychodynamic ideas, especially involving personality structure, to therapists of all backgrounds and orientations. She is Visiting Professor Emerita at Rutgers Graduate School of Applied & Professional Psychology and has a private practice in Lambertville, NJ. She is author of four textbooks (on psychoanalytic diagnosis, case formulation, therapy, and supervision) and is co-editor of both editions of the Psychodynamic Diagnostic Manual. A former president of the Society for Psychoanalysis and Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy of the American Psychological Association, she is a member of the Austen Riggs Center Board of Trustees. Her books are available in 20 languages and she has taught in more than 30 countries.

Dr Heribert Blass

Dr Heribert Blass is a Psychoanalyst for Adults, Children and Adolescents, Training and Supervising Analyst of the German Psychoanalytic Association (DPV) and IPA, also Specialist in Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, and Psychiatry, working in private practice in Düsseldorf, Germany. IPA President, Past President of the European Psychoanalytic Federation (EPF, from 2020-2024). Several publications on male identity and sexuality, the image of the father, on supervision, on generativity including psychoanalytic institutions, on boundary violations, on relation between internal and external reality, on psychoanalysis and society, on time and the experience of time, and others.

He has been in a personal dialogue with Patrick Casement on clinical psychoanalytical topics for more than 20 years. During this time, Patrick Casement’s entire oeuvre has become very important for his own psychoanalytic attitude and his clinical work.

Christopher Robinson

Christopher Robinson, adult psychotherapist in private practice. He has spent much of his career working in community mental health, having been Director of a community-based counselling service in SE London for many years, working with people who might not traditionally seek therapy or be deemed suitable for it. He continues to teach and supervise.

Reflecting on his interests in psychotherapy, other than valuing his work with patients as central to his experience, he realises that a lot of his focus has been on how to make psychotherapy accessible and helpful to a wider section of society, less arcane and dogmatic. That’s been very much a work in progress.

Professor Diana Shmukler

Dr Diana Shmukler is a renowned clinical psychologist, integrative psychotherapist, and educator with a PhD in child psychology. Her career spans decades across South Africa, the UK, and Australia, where she has held professorial positions and contributed significantly to psychotherapy education and practice. A registered practitioner with multiple international bodies, Dr Shmukler has authored influential publications on psychotherapy, including works on brief therapy and supervision. She continues to teach, supervise, and consult globally, specialising in integrative approaches and maintaining a particular interest in creativity and play in psychological health. Currently based in Sydney, Dr Shmukler remains active in clinical practice, supervision, and advancing psychotherapeutic knowledge through teaching and writing.

Dr Carine Minne

Dr Carine Minne is a psychoanalyst with the BPAS and Consultant Psychiatrist in Forensic Psychotherapy at Broadmoor Hospital and Portman Clinic (NHS, Public Health Service, UK). She chairs the IPA Violence Committee in the Community and World and is Editor-in-Chief of the IJFP (International Journal of Forensic Psychotherapy). Carine was President of the International Association for Forensic Psychotherapy until May 2022. In her work, she brings together the disciplines of forensic psychiatry and psychoanalysis to work directly with offender patients in different settings, and indirectly, via teaching, training, and lecturing to professionals from various disciplines, nationally and internationally.

Interviewer

Patrick is in conversation with Jane O’Rourke.

Jane O'Rourke, founder of MINDinMIND and a former award-winning BBC Producer turned Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist, brings her storytelling and listening skills to thoughtful conversations with leading mental health clinicians. Her unique background allows her to weave together the personal and professional threads of her guests' journeys, capturing the experiences that have shaped their clinical work.

Details correct at time of recording on 18 September 2024