207 – Psychological Development Across the Life Cycle 2: Adolescence – Late Life

Description: There are developmental moments mastered throughout the life cycle. This course has two parts.

The first will focus on adolescent development, roughly between ages 12 through 20. We will utilize psychoanalytic perspectives to explore the intrapsychic and interpersonal developmental tasks common to this period. We will consider different theoretical perspectives including Attachment Theory, Object Relations, Ego Psychology, Relational Psychoanalysis, neo-Kleinian, and classical psychoanalysis. We will also consider theories of identity and identity formation, including cultural and sociological studies. These other theoretical perspectives will help us contextualize adolescence within modernity and intersectionality identities. We will use clinical material to complement our theoretical readings.

Then we will shift to phases of emerging adulthood to end of life. We will utilize a psychoanalytic perspective to explore the intrapsychic and interpersonal developmental tasks common to adulthood. We will consider differing theoretical perspectives using classic and more recent readings. Relevant clinical material will be presented, and there will be ample opportunity for discussion.

Part II is open to those who have completed Part I of the Life Cycle series.

Target Audience: This class is for mental health professionals at intermediate to advanced levels, who have completed part 1 of the course (206, Life Cycle 1).