Jeff Fine-Thomas
@jefffine-thomas.bsky.social
Psychoanalysis 101 - concepts in plain English.
Reposted by Jeff Fine-Thomas
Salman Akhtar’s definition of humility:
November 7, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Salman Akhtar’s definition of humility:
Reposted by Jeff Fine-Thomas
Humility is often mentioned as 𝘢𝘯 important quality in a therapist, but given its impact on the other virtues, it might be 𝘵𝘩𝘦 most important quality in a therapist.
From Here to Humility
Guest post by @bitesizetherapy.bsky.social on the foundational importance of humility in psychotherapy
At every stage, a clinician must be willing to acknowledge that they do not have all the answers
www.psychiatrymargins.com/p/from-here-...
Guest post by @bitesizetherapy.bsky.social on the foundational importance of humility in psychotherapy
At every stage, a clinician must be willing to acknowledge that they do not have all the answers
www.psychiatrymargins.com/p/from-here-...
From Here to Humility
At every stage, a clinician must be willing to acknowledge that they do not have all the answers
www.psychiatrymargins.com
November 6, 2025 at 5:46 AM
Humility is often mentioned as 𝘢𝘯 important quality in a therapist, but given its impact on the other virtues, it might be 𝘵𝘩𝘦 most important quality in a therapist.
Reposted by Jeff Fine-Thomas
Psychoanalysis is the disciplined study of whatever it is the patient does not want to know about himself.
- Warren Poland
- Warren Poland
October 27, 2025 at 2:50 PM
Psychoanalysis is the disciplined study of whatever it is the patient does not want to know about himself.
- Warren Poland
- Warren Poland
Reposted by Jeff Fine-Thomas
The desire to excel must be differentiated from the desire to be perfect.
- Glen Gabbard
- Glen Gabbard
October 15, 2025 at 3:06 PM
The desire to excel must be differentiated from the desire to be perfect.
- Glen Gabbard
- Glen Gabbard
Reposted by Jeff Fine-Thomas
A paper about making psychodynamic theory accessible is now accessible - free until October 24th
guilfordjournals.com/doi/10.1521/...
guilfordjournals.com/doi/10.1521/...
From Object Relations to Public Relations: Making Psychodynamic Theory Accessible | The Psychoanalytic Review
This contribution advocates for the clarity and accessibility of psychoanalytic writing and public communications. Reflecting on her own experience as a clinician and a reader, the author argues that ...
guilfordjournals.com
October 13, 2025 at 4:20 PM
A paper about making psychodynamic theory accessible is now accessible - free until October 24th
guilfordjournals.com/doi/10.1521/...
guilfordjournals.com/doi/10.1521/...
Reposted by Jeff Fine-Thomas
Identity is important not because we are always the same - if we were, we would scarcely think about our identities…It is precisely because we can be so different in different contexts that we need to ask ourselves “who am I?”
- Paul Wachtel
- Paul Wachtel
October 13, 2025 at 2:39 PM
Identity is important not because we are always the same - if we were, we would scarcely think about our identities…It is precisely because we can be so different in different contexts that we need to ask ourselves “who am I?”
- Paul Wachtel
- Paul Wachtel
Reposted by Jeff Fine-Thomas
For therapy to be therapeutic, it is more important for the clinician to understand people than to master specific treatment techniques…Unless one understands someone’s unique, personal subjectivity, one cannot infer the best treatment approach for that individual.
- Nancy McWilliams
- Nancy McWilliams
October 7, 2025 at 2:33 PM
For therapy to be therapeutic, it is more important for the clinician to understand people than to master specific treatment techniques…Unless one understands someone’s unique, personal subjectivity, one cannot infer the best treatment approach for that individual.
- Nancy McWilliams
- Nancy McWilliams
"I suggest that psychoanalysis should be aware of their audience. As a member of that audience, I want to read material that helps me with clinical work." - Stephanie Foster @bitesizetherapy
October 1, 2025 at 1:20 PM
"I suggest that psychoanalysis should be aware of their audience. As a member of that audience, I want to read material that helps me with clinical work." - Stephanie Foster @bitesizetherapy
"I suspect many clinicians read professional literature for enlightenment rather than for bewilderment: 'The difficulty should be in the practice, not in the language.' (Grossman, 2023)." - Stephanie Foster @bitesizetherapy
September 30, 2025 at 2:04 PM
"I suspect many clinicians read professional literature for enlightenment rather than for bewilderment: 'The difficulty should be in the practice, not in the language.' (Grossman, 2023)." - Stephanie Foster @bitesizetherapy
"Simple language need not mean simple concepts. The very last thing psychoanalysis should do is abandon complexity." - Stephanie Foster @bitesizetherapy
September 29, 2025 at 2:50 PM
"Simple language need not mean simple concepts. The very last thing psychoanalysis should do is abandon complexity." - Stephanie Foster @bitesizetherapy
Reposted by Jeff Fine-Thomas
Westen (2002) discussed the importance of clear writing for assisting with clinical work. There is room for a more poetic style of writing, but I think the question is: Who is your audience? I don’t think clear language is a lesser form of psychoanalytic scholarship.
September 26, 2025 at 2:52 PM
Westen (2002) discussed the importance of clear writing for assisting with clinical work. There is room for a more poetic style of writing, but I think the question is: Who is your audience? I don’t think clear language is a lesser form of psychoanalytic scholarship.
"Complex concepts may require complex language, but perhaps it is worth considering at what point complexity reads more like absurdity: 'Incomprehensibility is not a hallmark of good analytic writing.' (Grossman, 2023)" - Stephanie Foster @bitesizetherapy
September 26, 2025 at 1:02 PM
"Complex concepts may require complex language, but perhaps it is worth considering at what point complexity reads more like absurdity: 'Incomprehensibility is not a hallmark of good analytic writing.' (Grossman, 2023)" - Stephanie Foster @bitesizetherapy
"We are frequently instructed to meet the patient where they are; psychoanalysis might do well to apply this edict to their public communications." - Stephanie Foster @bitesizetherapy
September 25, 2025 at 2:00 PM
"We are frequently instructed to meet the patient where they are; psychoanalysis might do well to apply this edict to their public communications." - Stephanie Foster @bitesizetherapy
Reposted by Jeff Fine-Thomas
The theoretical and clinical potency of psychoanalysis is out of sync with its flaccid public profile. We live in an era when depth therapy is under attack. Brilliance may not be enough; psychoanalysis needs to be heard and understood.
September 22, 2025 at 3:03 PM
The theoretical and clinical potency of psychoanalysis is out of sync with its flaccid public profile. We live in an era when depth therapy is under attack. Brilliance may not be enough; psychoanalysis needs to be heard and understood.
Reposted by Jeff Fine-Thomas
1/2
“Not all long analyses imply stalemates. Some analyses are born long, some achieve longness, and some have longness thrust upon them. We can learn from every case, but no case can set the law explaining all others.”
- Warren Poland
“Not all long analyses imply stalemates. Some analyses are born long, some achieve longness, and some have longness thrust upon them. We can learn from every case, but no case can set the law explaining all others.”
- Warren Poland
September 17, 2025 at 3:06 PM
1/2
“Not all long analyses imply stalemates. Some analyses are born long, some achieve longness, and some have longness thrust upon them. We can learn from every case, but no case can set the law explaining all others.”
- Warren Poland
“Not all long analyses imply stalemates. Some analyses are born long, some achieve longness, and some have longness thrust upon them. We can learn from every case, but no case can set the law explaining all others.”
- Warren Poland
Reposted by Jeff Fine-Thomas
I suspect that both our way of listening and our preference for theories are primarily consequences of our way of seeing ourselves. It may be true that theory shapes technique, but, to a far greater extent, character shapes theoretical preference.
- Lee Grossman
- Lee Grossman
September 16, 2025 at 3:05 PM
I suspect that both our way of listening and our preference for theories are primarily consequences of our way of seeing ourselves. It may be true that theory shapes technique, but, to a far greater extent, character shapes theoretical preference.
- Lee Grossman
- Lee Grossman
I'm procrastinating on writing a mashup of a chapter I wrote with a speech on a similar subject Nancy wrote. I can tell you that is not easy. What are your best writing tips for weaving someone else's brilliant ideas with your own?
September 11, 2025 at 8:11 PM
I'm procrastinating on writing a mashup of a chapter I wrote with a speech on a similar subject Nancy wrote. I can tell you that is not easy. What are your best writing tips for weaving someone else's brilliant ideas with your own?
Reposted by Jeff Fine-Thomas
The demand to “know” and intervene quickly interferes with receptive listening and observation. Without that, in-depth understanding and case formulation moves further out of reach. The irony is that trying to “know” quickly may prevent us from ever knowing at all.
XIII) is difficult for any number of reasons, but perhaps primarily so because the current therapy zeitgeist emphasizes knowing, and younger clinicians are often anxious and unskilled in embracing not-knowing. This creates a particular challenge in early supervision which can be frustrating.
September 10, 2025 at 4:45 PM
The demand to “know” and intervene quickly interferes with receptive listening and observation. Without that, in-depth understanding and case formulation moves further out of reach. The irony is that trying to “know” quickly may prevent us from ever knowing at all.
Reposted by Jeff Fine-Thomas
Training new clinicians in the age of behavioral treatment and managed care is very challenging and disheartening.
I very much enjoy supervising young clinicians. I appreciate their passion and enthusiasm. It is very difficult, though, because the way in which I practice often seems fundamentally
I very much enjoy supervising young clinicians. I appreciate their passion and enthusiasm. It is very difficult, though, because the way in which I practice often seems fundamentally
September 9, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Training new clinicians in the age of behavioral treatment and managed care is very challenging and disheartening.
I very much enjoy supervising young clinicians. I appreciate their passion and enthusiasm. It is very difficult, though, because the way in which I practice often seems fundamentally
I very much enjoy supervising young clinicians. I appreciate their passion and enthusiasm. It is very difficult, though, because the way in which I practice often seems fundamentally
AI is here and people are using as their therapist, friend, romantic partner. The genie is out of the bottle. But, it's not too late to advocate for guardrails.
www.wsj.com/podcasts/the...
www.wsj.com/podcasts/the...
A Troubled Man and His Chatbot - The Journal. - WSJ Podcasts
Get more information about our first-ever live show here! Tickets are on sale now. Stein-Erik Soelberg became increasingly paranoid this spring and he shared suspicions with ChatGPT about a surveillan...
www.wsj.com
September 10, 2025 at 12:31 PM
AI is here and people are using as their therapist, friend, romantic partner. The genie is out of the bottle. But, it's not too late to advocate for guardrails.
www.wsj.com/podcasts/the...
www.wsj.com/podcasts/the...
If you're new to psychoanalytic ideas, which concepts are most confusing?
September 8, 2025 at 2:02 PM
If you're new to psychoanalytic ideas, which concepts are most confusing?
If you're new to psychoanalytic ideas, what authors do you like and why?
September 5, 2025 at 5:30 PM
If you're new to psychoanalytic ideas, what authors do you like and why?
If you're not well versed in psychoanalytic ideas and you do clinical work regularly, what would you want to know about psychoanalysis? What questions do you have about it?
September 4, 2025 at 1:48 PM
If you're not well versed in psychoanalytic ideas and you do clinical work regularly, what would you want to know about psychoanalysis? What questions do you have about it?
One of my consultees asked if we would be going on a book tour once the book is published. Nope. But, that sounds fun!
September 3, 2025 at 2:11 PM
One of my consultees asked if we would be going on a book tour once the book is published. Nope. But, that sounds fun!