April 2023: “Stigmatized Body as Psychoanalytic Object” presented by John Cardinali, PsyD, ABPP

The renewed and revitalized interest in the body in contemporary psychoanalysis has occurred within a socio-cultural context that has simultaneously demanded our consideration of the social determinants of psychic life. In particular, the murder of George Floyd, overturning of Roe v. Wade, and increased violence against both Asian-American and LGBTQ individuals raise important questions regarding how fantasies about bodies are generated, inscribed, and perpetuated as well as what purpose such fantasies serve. For Cardinali, these questions bring to mind the branding of Black bodies, the burning of witches at the stake, and a multitude of other examples at the intersection of the social, the psychic, and the physical body. This presentation is inspired by Harrang, Tillotson, and Winters’ edited book, 'Body as Psychoanalytic Object' (2022). In framing the topic, they use the term bodymind, denoting the “indivisibility of body and mind”. Several authors in the text raise questions about the role of social factors in the development and experience of bodymind. Learning Objectives: 1. Participants will gain an enhanced understanding of the role of social context in the construction and experience of the body. 2. Participants will be able to distinguish between Layton’s normative unconscious processes and Davids’ internal racist organization in stigmatizing the body. 3. Participants will increase their understanding of the therapeutic implications of including socio-cultural context in psychoanalytic work with patients whose bodies have been stigmatized.