The Israel Winnicott Center (IWC)
A space for the study of Winnicottian and Independent thought in psychoanalysis.
Founders of the IWC
Dr. Meir Steinbock – psychiatrist; faculty, training and supervising analyst, the Israel Psychoanalytic Society
Michal Rieck – clinical psychologist; faculty, training and supervising analyst, the Israel Psychoanalytic Society
Ofra Eshel – clinical psychologist; faculty, training and supervising analyst, the Israel Psychoanalytic Society
Steering Commitee: Prof. Emanuel Berman, Hayuta Gurevich, Sara Kolker, Dr. Meir Steinbock
Director: Dr. Meir Steinbock
The Israel Winnicott Center was founded in 2008 with the aim of creating a place dedicated to the study of Winnicottian,post-Winnicottian, and Independent theoretical and clinical thinking, with an emphasis on their relevance to psychoanalysis in the 21st century. Winnicott played a pivotal role in the shift in psychoanalysis towards exploration of subjective experience, of the subject’s relationship with the environment and exploration of the self – directions that today continue to be central to contemporary psychoanalytic thinking, across the gamut of the different schools. Indeed, Winnicott’s greatness is due in part to the very fact that he cannot be pigeonholed as belonging to one particular school of thought or another. His work encompasses object-relations theory hand in hand with his revolutionary emphasis on the experience of the self. In addition, his cinical thinking opens the way for the treatment of a wide variety of patients across a range of diagnoses.
At the Israel Winnicott Center, we are interested in creating a learning environment inspired by Winnicott’s concepts of transitional space, creativity and play. We believe that true learning takes place only through experiential contact with the material studied, through the student’s repeated “spontaneous gestures” towards and in “playing” with the material, until a strong bond is formed between the two. It is our aim to create an integrated learning environment, free-enough from impingement, where the contents and the mode of learning form an uninterrupted continuum, much as Winnicott’s unique manner and style of writing reflect its very contents.
The first study program established by the Israel Winnicott Center was launched in 2008, and is a three-year accredited advanced diploma course in psychoanalytic psychotherapy, in the spirit of Winnicottian and Independent thinking. The course caters for experienced psychodynamically oriented psychotherapists and is recognized by the Israel Association for Psychotherapy and the Israeli Association for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy.
The second program to be set up was launched in 2012, and is a three and a half year accredited diploma course in psychoanalytic psychotherapy for creative and expressive arts therapists. In 2014, this program was officially recognized by the Israel Association for Psychotherapy and the Israeli Association for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy as a School of Psychotherapy for Creative and Expressive Arts Therapists.
The third program, ‘Road-Map’, is a basic three-year accredited diploma course in psychoanalytic psychotherapy for recently qualified psychotherapists. It was set up in 2014 as a School of Psychotherapy, recognized by the Israel Association for Psychotherapy and the Israeli Association for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy.
The Center offers a Continuing Education Program for its graduates, which includes:
"Sha'atnez": A Platform for multi-disciplinary thinking (one year course),
"Changing Vertices" – Bion and Winnicott (two year course),
"Winnicott Morning" (see hereafter). In addition, it maintains a regular and continual space for joint thinking of the faculty, in the spirit of a learning organization,and initiates lectures, workshops and conferences with Israeli analysts and with colleagues from abroad influenced by Winnicott's thought and by related approaches.
In 2013 the IWA, the International Winnicott Association, was founded, to which the Italian, Argentinian, Belgian, Brazilian, Greek, Chinese, Portuguese and French Winnicott Centers are affiliated, as well as the Winnicott Center in Israel. All of our students and graduates, and teachers and supervisors alike, have automatic membership of the IWA, due to their affiliation to the local Israel Winnicott Center. Likewise, all of our students and graduates are invited to become members, if they so choose, of the Israel Association for Psychotherapy and the Israeli Association for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, in accordance with these associations' rules.
Outlines of the different study programs
Three-year advanced diploma course in psychoanalytic psychotherapy, in the spirit of Winnicottian and Independent thinking
Steering Commitee: Prof. Emanuel Berman, Hayuta Gurevich, Sara Kolker, Michal Rieck, Dr. Meir Steinbock
Program Directors: Itzhak (Phil) Blum, Amnon Eyal, Dr. Nurit Gersteinhaber, Tami Pnini, Ruth Segal Program Coordinator: Michal Rieck
General outline
This course caters for clinical psychologists, psychiatrists and clinical social workers, who are already graduates of basic psychotherapy programs, or have at least six years of clinical experience in psychodynamic psychotherapy after the end of their studies. Candidates who are psychotherapists from other disciplines will also be considered, provided they hold an M.A. and have at least ten years of clinical experience in psychodynamic psychotherapy.
This course explores the development of Winnicottian thought, from its Kleinian roots and its connection to Ferenczi, through Winnicott’s early and late papers, the psychoanalytic thinking of his contemporaries (Faibairn, Guntrip, Balint, Searles, Rosenfeld, Bion), to the thinking of his followers (Little, Clare Winnicott, Khan, Bollas) and of modern day psychoanalytic authors such as Eigen and Ogden, and authors from the American relational school.
The course is of three years duration, and comprises theoretical seminars, clinical seminars (group supervision), and individual supervision (for at least one of the three years). The teachers and supervisors alike are almost all psychoanalysts affiliated with the Israel Psychoanalytic Society. Receipt of a qualifying diploma is conditional upon the completion of a final paper, based on a clinical case description and theoretical analysis of aspects of the case.
Time and place of studies –
Mondays 16:00-21:00 , at 'Tichonet' high-school, 3 Shoshana Persitz st., Tel Aviv.
2018-2019 Curriculum
Year 1Ferenczi and Winnicott – The Roots of Psychoanalytic Thinking on Trauma and Dissociation Hayuta Gurevich
Winnicott’s Kleinian Roots and his Early Papers Judith Triest
Unrepesented states of mind in Bion's and Green's thought and their followers Dr. Ilan Bernat
Reading Winnicott’s Writings I – The early years – studies in the beginnings of Winnicott's thinking Amnon Eyal
Year 2Why this Regresssion Now Dr. Meir Steinbock
Independent Psychoanalysis – Now and then Edith Barak-Melamed
Reading Winnicott’s Writings II, III – “On the Broken Psyche” (Yearly course) Sara Kolker
Year 3Winnicottian influence on Ogden’s Writings Ruth Segel
Interpretation and Non-Interpretation – Thoughts on Psychoanalytic Technique After Winnicott and his Followers Michal Rieck
Winnicott as a Source of Inspiration for Relational and Intersubjective Thought Prof. Emanuel Berman
Winnicott and Eigen Dr. Meir Steinbock
'Road Map': Basic three-year diploma course in psychoanalytic psychotherapy
Steering Commitee: Prof. Emanuel Berman, Hayuta Gurevich, Sara Kolker, Michal Rieck, Dr. Meir Steinbock
Program Directors: Dr. Ilan Bernat, Orna Liron-Bornfeld, Dr. Sharon Shitrit, Smadar Steinbock, Ruth Weinberg, Michal Zelinger
Program Coordinator: Dr. Meir Steinbock
General outline
This course caters for trainee and newly qualified clinical psychologists (minimum one year training completed), for clinical social workers with at least three years clinical experience, for trainee and qualified psychiatrists (minimum one year training completed), and in special cases educational, medical, rehabilitation psychologists or clinical criminologists can also apply, according to specific criteria. All candidates are expected to have been in personal psychodynamically oriented psychotherapy for at least one year at date of application.
As its name implies, this course aims to provide students with a broad-based up to date picture of psychoanalytic thought in the 21st century, within which students can discover their own unique path for professional development. Emphasis is placed on learning slowly and thoroughly, to broaden and deepen clinical therapeutic understanding in general and the therapist’s ability to work with difficult patients in particular, in keeping with the Winnicottian and Independent approach.
The course is of three years duration, and is comprised of theoretical seminars, clinical seminars (group supervision), theoretical workshops and individual supervision. In addition, each student is expected to complete a final paper, based on a case study of a long term psychodynamic therapy.
Time and place of studies –Wednesdays 16:00-21:00 , at 'Tichonet' high-school, 3 Shoshana Persitz st., Tel Aviv.
2018-2019 Curriculum
Year 1
The basic elements of psychoanalytic treatment Hadas Reisfeld-Einat
The roots of psychoanalytic treatment – Freud Dr. Sharon Shitrit
Melanie Klein and the post-Kleinians – Theoretical aspects Hugo Goldiuk
Melanie Klein and the post-Kleinians – Foundations of therapeutic technique Hamutal Aner-Bruck
Year 2Bion – Innovator in Psychoanalytic Thinking Dr. Ilan Bernat
The Primitive Edge of the Experience Anat Schumann
Early Emotional Development in Health and it's Failures, In the Teachings of Winnicott Rivka Itschak
Psychopathology in the Consulting Room: From Theory to Practice Dr. Efrat Shadach
Year 3Winnicott’s Followers – Central figures in the British Independent School Idit Barak Melamed
The Self in Psychoanalysis Smadar Steinbock
Theory and Foundations of the Therapeutic Technique of the Relational approach Dr. Shlomo Beinhart
Winnicott – Theoretical and Technical Foundations Dr. Meir Steinbock
Writing the Therapeutic Narrative – From Therapeutic Language to Written Language (Elective) Yael Magal
Three and a half year diploma course in psychoanalytic psychotherapy for creative and expressive arts therapists
Steering Commitee: Prof. Emanuel Berman, Hayuta Gurevich, Sara Kolker, Michal Rieck, Dr. Meir Steinbock
Program Directors: Gitit Burstein, Yael Harel, Pazit Ilan-Bercovich, David Kitron
Program Coordinator: Daphna Eytan
General outline
This program caters for expressive arts therapists (visual art, movement and music therapists, drama-therapists and bibliotherapists) who hold a Masters degree and have at least three years’ clinical experience (including long term therapies) with supervision, including at least two years experience in a mental health treatment framework. All candidates are expected to have been in personal psychodynamically oriented psychotherapy for at least one year at date of application.
This program aims to provide students with a broad knowledge base in the development of psychoanalytic theory and technique, with an emphasis on Winnicott and the Independent school. The course takes into account that the creative and expressive arts therapies are a special form of psychotherapy and aims to create a lively and fertile exchange between the different therapeutic approaches.
The program is three and a half years in duration and comprises theoretical seminars, clinical seminars (group supervision) led by two supervisors – one a psychoanalyst and the other a creative arts therapist, workshops and individual supervision. In addition, each student is expected to complete a final paper, based on a case study of a long term psychodynamic therapy.
Time and place of studies
Mondays 16:00-21:00 , at 'Tichonet' high-school, 3 Shoshana Persitz st., Tel Aviv.
2018-2019 Curriculum
Year 1
Core Ideas in Psychoanalytical Thinking – the work of Freud Dr. Sharon Shitrit
Transference and Countertransference Daphna Kook
Psychotherapy with children and adolescents – an introduction Talia Fruhauf
Meeting Klein Sagit Itschaki-Kedem
Year 2
Winnicott – Development and Fragility, Theory and Technique Galia Avishur-Mizrahi
From Ferenczi to Winnicott – Crystallization of Thought on Regression in Psychoanalytic Theory Amnon Eyal
Psychopathology in the Context of Development, the Space Between Merger and Separation Anat Schumann
Primitive Mental States Irit HaMeiri Valdarsky
Year 3
Trauma and Sexual Abuse-The Psychoanalytic Process with Survivors of Incest and Childhood Sexual Abuse Dr. Yael Desheh
The Development of Psychoanalytic Thinking from Object Relations Theory to the Independent Tradition Irit Erev
The Therapeutic Situation Anat Bar'am
Enactment, responsiveness and elasticity within the therapeutic space Michal Tepper
Fundaments of Kohut's Self Psychology David Kitron
Year 4
Writing the therapeutic narrative – From therapeutic language to written language Yael Magal
Psychodynamic Therapeutic Work with Parents Noa Eyal
The Clinical and Theoretical Thinking of Bion Dr. Mitchell Becker
Fundamentals of Child Psychotherapy Dr. Yari Gvion
Continuing Education Programs for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Graduates
Steering Commitee: Prof. Emanuel Berman, Hayuta Gurevich, Sara Kolker, Michal Rieck, Dr. Meir Steinbock
Program Directors: Michal Rieck and Dr. Meir Steinbock
General OutlineAs a response to requests from graduate students, this program was created with the intention of providing a professional home and a forum for ongoing learning and professional development for our graduates. Our aim is to enable students to broaden and deepen their clinical and theoretical understanding in areas previously studied in the three year advanced psychoanalytic psychotherapy program.
"Sha'atnez": A Platform for multi-disciplinary thinking Coordinator: Hagit Aharoni
"Sha'atnez", a garment fabricated from both wool and linen, is strictly prohibited according to the Torah, as one of the "kil'ayim" (cross-breeding and cross-production) prohibitions. Such taboos often conceal beneath them great temptation, and the greater the allure, the harsher the prohibition. The prohibition of the Sha'atnez can thus be seen as a response to a powerful allure – the allure of "kil'ayim" cross-breeding – hybrids, the mixing of domains, violation of boundaries, the abandonment of the illusion of pure forms.
The Winnicott Center offers a forum for interdisciplinary thinking, where psychoanalysis meets other domains such as literature, cinema, music, gender, body, aesthetics, and phenomenology. This course is comprised of a series of mini-courses of different “fabrics", each set of two or three lectures concentrating on a particular discipline from the arts or philosophy.
These seminars take place on Mondays, every other week, between 17:00 – 20:30
at "Tichonet", 3 Shoshana Persits st., Tel Aviv.
Registration for mini-series of lectures possible.
"Changing Vertices" – Avner Bergstein
Bion writes that the fact that different disciplines, at different times and from different vertices, describe the same experience, gives this experience greater validity and enables a ‘multi-ocular’ view of truth. And this encounter between the different disciplines is an emotional experience in itself, an emotional experience of discovering coherence, a place from which different facets of the emotional experience can be ‘observed’ from different vertices, integrated in a way that feels truthful, affording a sense of truth.
Winnicott writes of the fear of breakdown and the pull towards it, and Bion writes of catastrophic change and the fear of it. Both meet in the realm of the unrepressed unconscious. Both Winnicott and Bion echo Freud who maintained that our psychoanalytic investigations have directed our interest too exclusively to the repressed. Both focus on the dread of encountering emotional truth encapsulated in the unmentalized, unrepressed unconscious, threatening the mind with a psychotic state. Yet both contend that this encounter, facilitating the integration of remote and unmentalized parts of the self, can save the personality from mental catastrophe, or alternatively from psychic death as a defense against it.
The course will be devoted to deepening our understanding of Bion’s thinking and the psychoanalytic state of mind he proposes. We will discuss ideas relating to the suspension of memory, desire and understanding, the encounter with emotional truth that is beyond language, and concepts such as container-contained, linking and attacks on linking, learning from experience and more.
The first year will focus on selected chapters from the book 'Learning from Experience'.
Those who are beginning the third year, we will continue this year with reading Bion's seminars in Los Angeles, focusing on work with the psychotic part of the personality, the theory of container-contained and the clinical encounter with the unrepressed unconscious.
The course is being held every second Monday 17:00 to 20:15 at “Tichonet” High School, 3 Shoshana Persits st., Tel Aviv .
"Winnicott Morning"
Coordinators: Michal Rieck and Dr. Meir Steinbock
A series of eight monthly meetings, specifically for Winnicott Center graduates.
*Information will be updated soon
The IWC was founded in collaboration with:
The Winnicott Trust, London.
The Squiggle Foundation, London.
The IWC Advisory Committee (in alphabetical order):
Dr. Bernard Barnett – ex director The Squiggle Foundation
Prof. Vincenzo Bonaminio – Head of The Winnicott Center, Rome
Dr. Lesley Caldwell – past president of The Winnicott Trust, co-editor of Winnicott's Complete Writings
Dr. Michael Eigen – NYU Postdoctorate program
Dr. Dodi Goldman – William Allanson White Institute
Dr. Jennifer Johns – past president of The Winnicott Trust
Angela Joyce – chairperson The Winnicott Trust
Prof. Joyce Slochower – NYU postdoctorate program
Itzhak (Phil) Blum – past president of the Israel Psychoanalytic Society
Prof. Emanuel Berman – the Israel Psychoanalytic Society, editor of the psa. series in "Am Oved" which published "playing and Reality" and "True Self, False Self" – an anthology of Winnicott's papers in Hebrew.
Sara Kolker – The Israel Psychoanalytic Society. Editor of "Deprivation and Delinquency" in Hebrew.