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.).