Digital Course

The course explains the importance of maintaining a state of "not-knowing" in therapeutic, creative and personal processes.

The Course gradually clarifies Bion’s main concepts, including Beta elements, Alpha function, O, Transformations in K, Without memory and desire, Container/contained, Dreaming, Caesura and No-thing.

The course discusses developments to Bion’s concepts made by other psychoanalysts, such as Dr. Thomas Ogden (“Dreaming into existence”) and Dr. Michael Eigen (“Impact”).

The course helps consolidate an organised understanding of what constitutes the core of psychodynamic psychotherapy and includes clinical illustrations and stories from different spiritual traditions.

AN EXCELLENT PROGRAM

FOR STUDYING THE CONCEPTS OF WILFRED BION (ONE OF THE MOST ORIGINAL DEVELOPERS OF FREUD & KLEIN)


STEP BY STEP

BION'S CONCEPTS ARE EXPLAINED WITH CLARITY


INTEGRATES MANY BOOKS AND ARTICLES

THUS SAVING MANY HOURS OF DIFFICULT READING


IT'S POSSIBLE TO START IMMEDIATELY

AFTER REGISTRATION


STUDY ANYWHERE

ANY TIME AND AT YOUR OWN RHYTHM!


BENEFITS

🌟 Increase the ability to facilitate significant therapeutic transformations.
💡 A greater ability to allow for moments of uncertainty and to validate your own intuitive, creative and original processes.
💪 A greater legitimacy to be yourself as a therapist: base your interventions more on your own perceptions and less on theoretical knowledge.
📝 A comprehensive understanding of the importance of being in contact with "the unknown" in therapeutic, creative and personal development processes.
🚀 A better understanding of the core principles of psycho-dynamic psychotherapy.
🤝 A deeper connection with oneself and with others.

Course Curriculum

Lesson #1 - Not-knowing, The Truth, and Bion (30 min.)

NOT-KNOWING and TRUTH - these two strong expressions - are at the heart of Bion's theory, clinical work and personality. In the first class, which also serves as an introduction to the course, we'll understand the relationship between "Truth" and "Not-Knowing" in Bion's thought, and the relationship between them and his personality. In addition, we will deal with the central paradox related to knowing and not-knowing. Paradoxes will keep accompanying us as the course unfolds (2 videos, total video time 16:42 min.).


Lesson #2 - Without Memory or Desire (75 min.)

Bion's recommendation that the therapist should listen "without memory or desire" is probably his most cited mention. In other places he even writes "without memory, without desire, and without understanding"! What did Bion mean? In this class we will explore Bion's "without memory or desire" and discover the concepts of K and O and transformations in K and O (The dialectical tension between K and O is crucial in understanding Bion's thought). Next, we will deal with the movement between PS and D, with the selected fact and with the characteristics of the concept of Evolution. The class will also include clinical examples and stories from different traditions (8 videos, total video time 56:03 min.).


Lesson #3 - The Ability to Tolerate Frustration (60 min.)

Bion considered the ability to tolerate frustration central. For him, it is a crucial capacity, which distinguishes between the possibility of real development and other possibilities that are essentially defensive. In this class we will try to immerse ourselves in the genesis of the sensation of our existence and in the genesis of our contact with reality. Through this immersion, we will understand the importance of the ability to tolerate frustration, and we will be introduced to the concepts "the no-thing" (or "the no-breast"), beta elements, alpha function, alpha elements, projective identification , nameless dread, and bizarre objects (6 videos, total video time 42:24 min.).


Lesson #4 - Container/Contained (45 min.)

Bion manufactured models - Basic patterns that help us think about human life/mental life/treatment. The container/contained was one of his central models. From Bion's point of view, meaning does not exist by itself, but depends on the quality of the dynamic interaction between two components. For example: things receive meaning within a context, thoughts depend on an apparatus that thinks them, beta elements are treated and transformes by alpha function. In this class we will deal with the container/contained model and we will broaden our understanding of it using Ronald Britton's ideas (7 videos, total video time 26:14 min.).


Lesson #5 - Dreaming (60 min.)

Bion's conceptualization of "Dreaming" does not overlap with the familiar concept of "dreaming" which refers to the multimedia phenomenon that occurs when we sleep. Bion treated dreaming as a processing function, and did not focus on the content of the dream or its meaning. Dr. Thomas Ogden poetically extends Bion's conceptualization using the phrase "dreaming into existence". In addition, Ogden deals with the inability to dream and with the distinctions between nightmares and terrors. In this lesson we will try to "dream into existence" Bion's concept of "dreaming", that is, we will try to give it a dimension of depth and personal meaning. In addition, we will study Jacob's dream as an archetype of "dreaming", and we will refer to the interpersonal and therapeutic dimension of dreaming (5 videos, total video time 39:44 min.).


Lesson #6 - Dr. Michael Eigen and "Impact" (50 min.)

Dr. Michael Eigen writes in his poetic and impactful way "Self to Self impact is the core clinical work". The concept of impact wraps within it many layers of meaning and expands Bion's " without memory or desire" to interpersonal realms. In this lesson we will discover the uniqueness of Michael Eigen's writing and thinking and understand where his understanding of "impacts" leads us as therapists (5 videos, total video time 32:44 min.).


Lesson #7 - Caesura (50 min.)

In the later stages of his work, Bion was enthusiastic about the creative and therapeutic dimensions of the concept "Caesura". This is truly an exceptional concept that emanates meanings. In many ways it is a "spicy" and refined Bionian version of Winnicott's instruction to contain paradoxes and not solve them. In this class we will go with Bion into the creative emanation of Caesura (5 videos, total video time 35:02min.).


Lesson #8 - The no-thing (45 min.)

The "no-thing" is an elegant concept, which brings together different layers of flow and meaning. Bion uses this concept to point his microscope at therapeutic development, and to distinguish between true movements of formation and growth, and movements towards decline and degeneration. This concept helps to distinguish between the words space and void; between a white screen that serves as a background that allows creation, and a black hole that creates fragmentation. In addition, the dialectical tension between "things" and "no- things" can give words to the sensation of contact with reality. During the lesson we will try to clarify and mediate Bion's "no-thing" (5 videos, total video time 28:39 min.).


Course Summary + Feedback (35 min.)

A summary of the course (1 video, total video time 9:42 min.).

What is Included?

2 Years of Unlimited Access

to all course materials + Q&A with course instructor via email.


5 Hours of Videoconferences

Divided in a gradual way that allows a clear understanding of Bion's profound ideas.


Quizzes & References to further reading

Each lesson includes 2 quiz questions and references to recommended additional professional readings.


SPECIAL LAUNCH OFFER - 25% OFF

2 YEARS OF UNLIMITED ACCESS!

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2 Years of unlimited access!

Watch The Free Preview From The Introduction To The Course:


Not-Knowing, Truth and Bion -Part 1

Meet Your Instructor

Dr. Yakir Krichman


● Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology concentrating in Somatic Psychology, The Chicago School Of Professional Psychology (TCSPP). His doctoral work dealt with The Somatic Dimensions of Artistic Creativity.
● Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Licensed Supervisor in Psychotherapy. Licensed by the Israeli Ministry of Health (Registration Number 25954).
● Lecturer and supervisor in the program "Mindfulness-Based Therapy" at The Center For Mindful And Caring Education, Israel.
● Wrote the chapter "Mindfulness And Psychoanalysis: The Therapeutic Space As Mindful Evolution" [Hebrew Edition] in the Israeli Best Seller "Mindfulness: Being Here And Now" edited by Mati Lieblich, Keter.
● Teaches Bion in different settings and trainings for more than 12 years.
● B.A. in Psychology and Mathematics and M.A. in Clinical Psychology, The University of Haifa, Israel.
● Holds a private practice in Givat Hen, Israel
In 2020, I launched in Israel the online course "The Art of Not-Knowing in Psychotherapy and The Conceptual Line of W. R. Bion". The course is the result of my personal and professional journey of 25 years. The course has been receiving excellent feedbacks and has been very significant for many therapists.
I hope that the course will allow you to enjoy and internalize Bion's ideas, which delineate so beautifully the heart and the art of psychotherapy.
Thank you for your attention,
Yakir

Frequently Asked Questions

● When does the course begin?
Now! The study is independent. Everyone can start studying the course at any time. Immediately after registration, you will be sent a link that will allow you to access all course materials.
How long will I have access to the course?
You will have 2 years of unlimited access to all course materials.
How long is the course?
Basic participation:
Watching the video lectures, answering the quizzes and sharing your comments will take approximately 7.5 hours. 
Advanced Participation:
Further reading is not mandatory but could enhance course experience and understanding. Further reading might take up to 2 hours per lesson
Best Practice:
I think that 8 weeks are an excellent time frame for completing the course (1 lesson per week), enabling a solid internalisation of course materials. Best practice per lesson learning is:
  1. Watch the videos, answer the quizzes and share your thoughts on core lesson questions.
  2. Choose a reading option that suits your availability and read it during the week.
  3. Reflect more on course materials as they present themselves as your week’s clinical practice unfolds.
Do I need theoretical prior knowledge to understand the course?
No. The course does not require any prior knowledge.
Does the course provide a formal training process, clinical supervision, or a therapeutical process?
The course increases therapeutic capacity in various ways, but is not considered a formal training process, clinical supervision, or therapeutic process.
Copyright information
The creation of the course required a lot of investment. Copyrights belongs exclusively to Yakir Krichman. It is prohibited to copy, photocopy, record, broadcast, project in public or transmit the videoconferences. It is prohibited to transfer the access link or the user and password data to another person. Teachable.com system identifies exceptions like these and whoever makes them may be subject to a lawsuit.


Bibliography that was used for the preparation of the course

Amir, D. (2013) The autistic syntax as an inverted use of the organ point, in Cleft Tongue. Magnes [Hebrew Edition].

Bion, R. W. (1962) Learning from Experience. London: Karnac Books.

Bion, R. W. (1967) Second Thoughts. Routledge.

Bion, W. R. (1967) Notes on Memory and Desire. In R. Lang (Ed.), Classics in Psychoanalytic Technique. New York and London: Jason Aronson, Inc.

Bion, W.R. (Ed.). (1970). Attention and Interpretation: A scientific approach to insight in psycho-analysis and groups (1st ed.). Routledge.

Bion, R. W. (1965) Transformations. London: Karnac.

Bion, W.R. (1977). Two Papers: The Grid and Caesura. Rio de Janeiro: Imago Editora. [Reprinted London: Karnac Books 1989]

Bion, R. W. (2012) Caesura. Annotated translation and additional articles: Aharoni H, and Bergstein, A. Bookworm [Hebrew Edition].

Britton, R. (1992). Keeping things in mind. In R. Anderson (Ed.), Clinical lectures on Klein and Bion (pp. 102–113). Tavistock/Routledge.

Castaneda, C. (1972). Journey to Ixtlan: the lessons of Don Juan. [Book Club ed.]. New York, Simon and Schuster.
Eigen, M. (1981) T
he area of faith in Winnicott, Lacan and Bion. International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 62: 413-433.
Eigen, M. (2001)
Damaged Bonds. Karnac.
Eigen, M. (2004).
Psychic Deadness. Routledge.
Eigen, M. & Govrin, A. (2007)
Conversations with Michael Eigen. Karnac.
Eran, A., Friedman, B. & Shelef, R. (2006)
The Dream as a Ladder and as a Symbol. Mofet Institute [Hebrew Edition].
Ferenczi, S. (1949).
Confusion of the Tongues Between the Adults and the Child—(The Language of Tenderness and of Passion). Int. J. Psycho-Anal., 30:225-230
Grotstein, S. J. (2007)
A Beam of Intense Darkness: Wilfred Bion’s Legacy to Psychoanalysis. Routledge.
Krichman, Y. (2018) Mindfulness Y Psychoanalysis: The Therapeutic Space as Mindful Evolution, in
Mindfulness Here and Now: Practice, Theory and Application. M. Lieblich (editor). Keter [Hebrew Edition].
Ogden, T. H. (2011)
On Not Being Able to Dream: Essays, 1994-2005. Am Oved [Hebrew Edition].
Ogden, H. T. (2016)
Reclaiming Unlived Life: Experiences in Psychoanalysis. Routledge.
Peled, E. (2005).
Psychoanalysis and Buddhism: About the Capacity to Know. Resling [Hebrew Edition].
Symington, J. & N. (1996)
The Clinical Thinking Of Wilfred Bion. Brunner-Routledge.
Suzuki, S. (1970)
Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind. Weatherhill.
Winnicott, D. W. (1971)
Playing and Reality. London: Routledge.