Nancy McWilliams on Mental Health, Transference and Dissociation

In today’s episode of the podcast, I speak with Nancy McWilliams, Ph.D, a renowned psychologist-psychoanalyst. She has authored several books, including, Psychoanalytic Diagnosis (1994; rev. ed. 2011), Psychoanalytic Case Formulation (1999), Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy (2004), and Psychoanalytic Supervision (2021). She was also the Associate Editor of the Psychodynamic Diagnostic Manual (2006; 2nd ed. 2017).
We discuss different aspects of mental health and how it pertains to relationships. We also discuss qualities that make a strong therapist and the ideas of dissociation and transference in therapy.
Link to blog here: www.psychiatrypodcast.com/psy...

[@jhinton129]

I love this woman. She’s great. I always hoped I could end therapy sessions with something my clients could take “home in their pocket”. Not literally but sort of a take away that had been discovered about them or their situation that hopefully might make a difference. Finding gems no matter how small can be so productive. I’m retired now but I loved being a therapist. I love these podcasts. Thank you.

[@psychiatrypsychotherapy6939]

You left a gem by leaving this comment :) thank you 🙏

[@amareamore1693]

Legend Guest

[@aubreyj.tennant1123]

23:00 an extraordinary definition of listening! ( Listening in a professional capacity is a disciplined meditative and emotionally receptive activity in which the therapist needs for self-expression and self-acknowledgment are subordinated to the psychological needs of the client ) A well known therapeutic practice and so neatly worded & packaged in a single phrase! Awesome interview! 💪👍😊

[@sulabhasubramaniam5075]

She''s Real. She's my type of therapist ❤ Feels so good that as a empathetic and proactive therapist, my style and belief of how therapy must flow, gets validated by this enormously wise experienced and respected therapist. Had been told by the 'clinical types' that you must maintain a 'clear n cool distance.' Naahh!

[@sulabhasubramaniam5075]

From India btw 😊

[@levinforrest4730]

Nancy is a rockstar. This was such a wonderful opportunity to hear her speak on her life and work.

[@TheAqqamak]

What a great interview. I have seen a few with Nancy already and this one is unique in what I feel as a deep warm mutual understanding between you two. So the listening was both cognitive and emotional satisfaction. Thank you very much ! Greetings from Poland 💕

[@leilenamelaku7391]

I had Dr Nancy McWilliams book as a text when I was I training in Ethiopia. It was just great to hear her speak here. Thank you!

[@trippingwithmelody4297]

So amazing. Top notch. 🎉

[@poojaindia]

This is a wonderful and such an educative session. Thank you!!

[@logiebearsb]

Thanks for the great conversation

[@orongetzu]

I had the pleasure to see her a year ago and it was fantastic. Her work has helped me a lot to understand myself as a individual and as a young therapist. I share your enthusiasm and nice interview.

[@janelboth2932]

Yes. I believe that o good therapist needs a big hug when they come home.

[@jeancardoza4442]

Amazing!

[@user-kc5oi8wh8g]

Thank you!

[@erby1kabogey9]

Excellent guest!

[@mariaeloisalemme4565]

You are a great interviewer! Congrats!!😊

[@petreang]

Wonderful, thank you. While therapists are pretty good in relationships, unfortunately many physicians and even biological psychiatrists lack of relational competences.

[@briannerk3373]

More than that, many look down on it with active contempt (I work in the mental health system).

[@stephenrichardson1720]

I would love an episode with Dr. Garrett on psychotherapy in patients with psychotic illnesses!

[@psychiatrypsychotherapy6939]

Already have it planned!

[@lukefisch9483]

Psychotic baseline: don’t worry about going blank, worry about humiliation, level with them don’t let them feel they are beneath them show them u are human and help them not feel alone

[@janelboth2932]

About Mental Health.Thank you so much. Wish you all the best.

[@tiffanykennedy788]

Will you reply with your thought on a person who has a diagnosed mental condition becoming a licensed clinical mental health therapist. Wonderful interview.

[@psychiatrypsychotherapy6939]

I don't see an issue with this. Many clinicians have diagnosed conditions. They do need to get enough treatment so they can do the work needed.

[@tiffanykennedy788]

@@psychiatrypsychotherapy6939 Your work inspires me. I have military service connected permanent and total disability and VA education benefits which hopefully are approved for clinical mental health therapy graduate program.

[@le_th_]

Respectfully, it was 52 years ago in1971 that McDonald's ad campaign "You deserve a break today at McDonald's" was rolled out (jingle was created by a music producer in NYC & ad agency in Chicago), but...if my elmentary school memory serves me...the entitlement first showed it's ugly head when our forefathers took land that wasn't theirs so they could start their extremistst religious colonies when they arrived (uninvited) in what we now call New England (the irony...*new* England). So that would be pre-colonial entitlement learned in their home countries of England, Ireland, Netherlands, etc. that they then brought with them to North America, and it was there long before they set foot on soil on this side of the pond. Pathological entitlement would rear it's ugly head again and again, for millenia, all throughout US history (killing native Americans, stealing their land, putting them on reservations, slavery, women not being allowed to vote, black men being able to vote but no females of any color, black women being treated as if they're less than, Japanese internment camps during WWII), segregation, and on and one and on so we really can't blame the proliferation of pathological narcissism on social media, although SocMed has done a *brilliant* job of showing those of us who are not narcissists just how many narcissists there are out there in the world. I dislike social media very much, but I'm super grateful for a learning platform like KZbin. Insta-gram should just be called Instant-gratification for the large doses of narcissistic supply it doles out like a drug dealer handing out free hits of narcissistic-supply-ego-inflation (and bullying) to keep people coming back. That aside, Nancy McWilliams is wonderful and the banter between the two of you was natural and easy. Great interview!

[@cassanova9322]

Can somome please time stamp this?

[@janelboth2932]

As you say you need love and support

[@LeahBensonTherapyTampa]

She's still my fave, but boy, what a disappointment that she's leaning into panksepp's stuff. There are no "systems" in the brain for emotional categories of experience. Emotions are situated constructs, and there is not a shred of evidence that hasn't been falsified to support emotional "systems" in the brain. The only "drives" we have are in the service of energy regulation, and they are behavioral, not "emotional," except as culturally constructed.

[@psychiatrypsychotherapy6939]

Any journal article I can read to educate myself on this? Also would you say Microexpression does not exist (emotion, 1/10 of a second, anger, disgust, ect)?

[@LeahBensonTherapyTampa]

I don't have a specific article to point you toward, but Barrett's book How Emotions Are Made is a pop psy summary of hundreds of papers. And she and Solms had 2 conversations that you'll find here on YT where they debate this particular issue. You'll get a deep dive into it through that. "Microexpression" exists, but not as an essential thing, as a construction, same as emotions.

[@psychiatrypsychotherapy6939]

I disagree with parts of Barrett's book and am working on a episode to show the data to show why I disagree. As someone who teaches Microexpression, has done research on this, and teach people to accurately read it, I have some strong opinions about this... @@LeahBensonTherapyTampa

[@psychiatrypsychotherapy6939]

Check out how you read it here: emotionconnection.com/free-test/

[@LeahBensonTherapyTampa]

lol, I have some strong opinions too. I'll just start by quoting Barrett in reply. "It's realism vs impericism all over again." And if you're going to show "the data" to demonstreate your disagreement, why don't you compare your "the data" to "the data" of her papers not to the stories of a popular science book she wrote to explain incredibly dense science to lay people. I 've not seen one single detractor of Barrett use empirical data to *refute her evidence.* Not one. It's all, 'but look at this study that shows evidence for [fill in your "emotional" brain system]." And not one of these "systems" can be shown to be specifically an "emotional system." Emotions are situated concepts. "Microexpressions" are situated facial movments. That is all.There is no unfalsified evidence of this or she would have found it. Because that's what she does. She finds the evidence. Looking forward to commenting on your upcoming episode... @@psychiatrypsychotherapy6939

[@shan1xxx]

Time stamps would be helpful 😊