How does experiencing a work of art affect both our conscious and subconscious thoughts and feelings? Psychoanalysis in art explores the ways in which artistic expression can reveal unconscious thoughts, emotions, and experiences, often drawing from established theories, to interpret symbolism and meaning.
Psychoanalytic theory presents the idea that art can be a manifestation of unconscious desires and conflicts, providing insights into the artist’s psyche. Through engaging in the process of interpreting symbols, imagery, and themes in art, psychoanalysts can identify elements in a work of art that represent deeper, hidden meanings. Psychobiography and psycho-iconography are two approaches to analyzing art through a psychoanalytic lens; the former approach examines the artist’s life; the latter, the symbolism of a specific work of art.
Freud was fascinated by art and wrote numerous analytical essays to explore the works of creative geniuses, from Michelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci to Paul Klee, Joan Miro, and contemporary artists such as photographer Cindy Sherman. Surrealist artists such as Salvador Dalí, René Magritte, and Max Ernst most notably embraced psychoanalytic principles, seeking to liberate the unconscious mind through artistic expression. Freud’s writings and observations can enhance what we experience in viewing a work of art.
To encourage the exploration of art and the ways in which it can have psychotherapeu-
“When first looking at the image, it appears to be a painting, but upon a closer look it is representational of the reality at hand. Things aren’t always what they appear to be,” says Dr. Vaccaro.
tic benefits, in 2001 several faculty members from the Boston Graduate School of Psychoanalysis (BGSP) joined a group of artists, forming a collective they named Gallery 1581—a nod to the school’s street address,—to animate and meld artistic and psychoanalytic ideas and viewpoints. The mission of the Gallery, located on BGSP’s campus, is to “Maintain a space where artists and analysts can meet and share visions of a world where creativity fuels
Iceland Glacier, 2024, photographed by Dr. Annette Vaccaro, was a work in the pARTners exhibition.
A MESSAGE FROM Executive Director Vicki G. Semel
Dear ACAP Community,
As the song says, “From now on, we’ll have to muddle through somehow.”
In a world that feels out of balance, our best option is to remain focused on what we can control in our own lives. The phrase “Think globally, act locally” is an adage that prompts us to consider our actions and their implications; it also calls upon each of us to create whatever positive change we can in our own communities.
Margaret Mead’s famous saying, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has,” remains a powerful inspiration. The words are especially relevant as we seek to make affordable mental health care available to all who are experiencing the anguish of depression, anxiety, addiction, and other disorders but cannot afford the care they need.
So I ask for your help—you, for whom access to mental health care is a key value. Your generous support allows ACAP to continue to teach, train, and treat: Working together, we can help bring suffering individuals out of isolation and loneliness, creating healthier, safer communities.
Thank you,
ART
continued from pg. 1
constructive dialogue between people interested in deep understanding of our human family. We are in pursuit of leading more fulfilling lives,” said Mara Wagner, the Gallery curator.
At its most recent juried exhibition, entitled pARTners, which opened last year on November 1st and ran until January 31 of this year, the Gallery received submissions from fifty-two artists. Some of the artists represented in the show are affiliated with various mental health agencies and community health organizations.
Iris Inhee Moon, Director of CURA, a Curatorial and Therapeutic Arts Initiative, attended the pARTners show, and shared her experience of the event:
Vicki Semel, PsyD Executive Director
“Color, texture, shape, scale, medium, and title combined to create more than a display—they conjured a shared unconscious field. Like a psychoanalyst’s office, the gallery became a psychic container where symbolic material could surface. Visitors unconsciously engaged with the artworks and each other, projecting personal narratives and encountering uncanny resonances. The gallery thus became a communal space of silent dialogue, assembling fragments of individual and collective experience into a living field.”
ACAP’S MISSION AND VISION
ACAP promotes and prioritizes optimal mental health in communities through teaching, training, and treating, as we apply the transformative power of talking and listening.
Through their training in the application of effective interventions and acquired clinical skills, ACAP students and graduates work toward a future in which issues of mental health will be addressed with the deepest empathy, respect, and compassion, and resolved in ways that meet unique individual needs.
ACAP partners with the Boston Graduate School of Psychoanalysis to offer BGSP-New Jersey’s graduate degree programs. BGSP-NJ shares ACAP’s mission to optimize mental health in communities through teaching and training.
“Harmony” by BJ Kim was featured in the pARTners exhibition.
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
Completing a Puzzle
In 2016, Patricia Ulis was working in her private social work therapy practice of more than 26 years when she learned of a modern psychoanalytic supervision group.
“I didn’t know what I didn’t know,” said Ulis. Although she was initially unfamiliar with modern psychoanalysis, she says that over time she realized it was the “...missing piece” that completed her as a therapist. After testing the proverbial waters, as she describes it, she jumped in, completing the oneyear program, and then matriculating; she is now an advanced student in the certificate program, working under control supervision in the North Jersey Counseling Center (NJCC).
“Some of my favorite courses have been those that focus on the use of transference and countertransference in the treatment,” she said, adding, “Understanding the importance of the therapist’s feelings and the patient’s feelings has helped me build rapport and enriches the therapeutic alliance.
I currently see five patients in the NJCC, most of whom have been working with me for several years. These are patients I might not have access to in my private practice because some lack health insurance and/or are low income patients. The Center provides me with a place to apply my growing modern analytic skill set, while I benefit from supervision provided by experienced clinicians, and a peer support system. Learning to apply these new skills to my private practice patients has allowed me to help them deepen their work. The skills I have learned at ACAP and my work at the NJCC have helped me to grow personally as well as professionally.”
Ulis says she finds the approach to study a refreshing departure from her previous academic experiences. “ACAP’s approach emphasizes the experiential, as opposed to the simply academic. Students learn through osmosis and sharing their experiences. We learn together about ourselves and one another, and that makes for an
unshakeable sense of community not easily found elsewhere.”
For prospective students, Ulis suggests enrolling in a Brown Bag Lunch program (the schedule is posted at ACAPNJ.org) as an introduction. “Take a class, then see if the one-year program is for you,” she said, adding, “Check out the ACAP Facebook page, sign up for the newsletter, and ask questions; the answers could lead you in a whole new direction.”
“Let
the Art Do the Talking.”
Brandon Colle is a self-described “arts-based researcher interested in autism, neurodivergent advocacy, overall cognitive development, group and individual art therapy supervision, digital art therapy, and the application of ecology to art therapy.”
Currently employed as a creative arts therapist with the largest healthcare provider in Southern New Jersey, Colle works with adults with mental health and/or substance disorders who are voluntarily hospitalized. Concurrently, he is also enrolled in ACAP’s certificate program, taking one course at a time.
“In my work as an art therapist, I began noticing something fascinating— patients were producing images and symbols that hinted at deeper, of ten repressed thoughts. These visual expressions spoke volumes, far beyond what words could convey. This realization led me down a path of exploring modern psychoanalytic theory to better understand and engage with the rich symbol ism in my clients’ artwork,” he said, adding, “What I discovered resonated deeply with me. Unlike
cognitive, behavioral, or humanistic frameworks, psychoanalysis—especially its focus on unconscious material, transference, and the therapeutic relationship—naturally aligns with my belief in the power of non-verbal expression. It is a language and a lens through which I can better see and feel a patient’s emotional landscape. I work to eliminate patients’ fear of judgment and tell them, ‘Let the art do the talking,’” he says.
continued on page 7
Brandon Colle
Patricia Ulis
Encore, Encore!
THE ART OF REINVENTION THRIVES AT ACAP
The job outlook for mental health careers remains strong, with a growing demand for qualified professionals in all areas. Since it began its partnership with ACAP in 2015, BGSP-NJ has offered opportunities for those currently working in mental health, as well as in other fields, to explore advanced degrees in mental health counseling and in psychoanalysis. Practitioners can work in a wide variety of settings, including hospitals, veteran’s centers, schools, and nonprofit agencies. Compensation, particularly for those who establish a private practice, is competitive. The following are examples of career-changers at ACAP and BGSP, who continue in work serving others.
FROM TEACHING STUDENTS, TO BECOMING A STUDENT AGAIN
Dr. George Grant began his career as an electrical engineer in telecommunications, but in the aftermath of the “Telecoms crash” and the folding of many telecom companies, he decided to pivot to a career teaching high school mathematics and physical science. As a teacher, he was motivated to learn more about his students to better understand them; in 2007 he began taking an evening class each semester at ACAP. Today, Dr. Grant holds a masters in mental health counseling from the Boston Graduate School of Psychoanalysis (BGSP-NJ), and an American Board of Psychoanalysts (ABAP)—accredited psychoanalytic certificate from ACAP, is a licensed professional counselor, and is a state-certified psychoanalyst in the State of New Jersey.
What happens when a primary career ends, or retirement begins? For some, it’s an exciting opportunity to put once-sidelined interests at center stage, and a time to think about one’s legacy in the world. The transition to a second, ‘encore career,’ allows many individuals to leverage their expertise, skills, and acquired wisdom for the benefit of the greater good—contributing to society, while learning and growing through new experiences.
Now retired from teaching, he has a growing clinical practice and has been one of the founding members of iStrive, a program for young adults with autism spectrum disorder who have aged out of other programs. Dr. Grant also earned a bachelor of science in electrical engineering and a master’s in business administration.
A WINDING CAREER PATH LED TO LIVINGSTON, NJ
In the early 1970s, Dr. Rosemary McGee embarked upon a career in financial services and information technology. In 1986, she accepted a management position with a brokerage firm in New York City and relocated from San Francisco. After a merger 16 years later, the structure of the firm changed, and McGee, a managing director, decided to leave the firm and the industry. She entered the field of narrative medicine and bioethics, and earned a doctoral degree in Medical Humanities from Drew University in New Jersey. Then, in 2013, after hearing about ACAP from a friend and current student, McGee began taking classes. She graduated from BGSP-NJ’s master’s program, earning a Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling and went on to complete ACAP’s certificate program in 2021. She is now a member of the ACAP faculty, serves as a fellow in the fellows program and as a student advisor. “ACAP is my community,” she said, adding, “One of the best outcomes of the school is forging life-long relationships.”
LEAVING THE CORPORATE WORLD BEHIND
After earning a master of business administration in finance, Ron Dranetz worked in corporate information technology for large pharmaceutical and financial services firms, but always in the back of his mind was a long-held interest in human behavior.
“As I grew older, I became increasingly disillusioned in my corporate career: I was earning a good salary, but my work was not fulfilling. I thought a new career in a “helping” profession would allow me to have more impact,” he said. “At the time I was undergoing psychoanalysis and spoke about my career dissatisfaction with my therapist. Unbeknownst to me at that time, she was a faculty member at ACAP. Over time she suggested I explore a career in mental health, which led me to ACAP and a comfortable, nurturing learning environment. Although I’ve earned my degree, I continue to take at least one class per semester to continue learning as part of the ACAP community.”
To prospective career-changers, he offers this advice, “Dip your toe in the water to see if ACAP is right for you. Try one course—preferably Introduction to Modern Psychoanalysis* and experience the ACAP’s unique approach and community for yourself.”
* If you would like to learn more about an encore career in mental health, the ideal way to explore possibilities is to enroll in a class. For more information, please contact Eva Silver, Director of Admissions and Advisement, at evasilver@ comcast.net/425.466.1528
“WHY I GIVE”
Volunteerism Fuels ACAP’s Engine!
For those unfamiliar with the inner workings of ACAP, it comes as a surprise when they learn that each member of the faculty volunteers her or his time to mentor and supervise students, and provide leadership to the organization.
This kind of dedication, both laudable and unimaginable at some other nonprofit organizations, is one aspect of what makes ACAP unique.
Even more remarkable: Our faculty members are also contributors who support ACAP’s programs and growth with their philanthropy. Their service to ACAP and passion for its mission deserve recognition; ACAP is grateful to the talented, highly-trained members of its faculty:
Presenter of Distinction Featured at ACAP’s Neuropsychoanalytic Conference
In April, ACAP hosted a hybrid conference entitled Why It Matters: Neuropsychoanalysis
ACAP director and moderator Dr. Patricia Bratt welcomed Professor Mark Solms, Director of Neuropsychology at the Neuroscience Institute of the University of Cape Town. Dr. Solms, a member of the British Psychoanalytical Society and the American and South African Psychoanalytic Associations, is a lecturer in neurosurgery at the Royal London School of Medicine. Widely known for his milestone discovery of the brain mechanisms that func-
tion in the process of dreaming, Dr. Solms’ research focuses on integrating modern neuroscience with psychoanalytic theories and methods. Author of numerous books, his most recent, The Hidden Spring (Norton, 2021), explores theories and ideas that have shaped his conceptualization of consciousness, influenced by the work of Freud, Chalmers, Panksepp, and Fristo.
Following his keynote presentation, Dr. Solms was joined by ACAP Neuropsychoanalytic Group members: Cassio Campello de Menezes, Leah Heins,
continued on pg. 7
Congratulations, 2025 Graduates!
A few members of the group shared their stories ….
SHALENA DAVIS
“When I was laid off from Deutsche Bank in 2008, I asked myself, “Is this (career) what I want to do?”
Davis’s path to ACAP was a long road, but along the way she acquired an essential life skill: As a bartender for ten years prior to her work in corporate finance, she mastered the art of listening. When a friend told Davis about ACAP, she did her due diligence and then applied to the master’s program at the Boston Graduate School of Psychoanalysis–New Jersey. She completed her degree within four years, receiving support from the Pauline Katz Scholarship. Currently studying for the Licensed Associate Counselor (LAC) exam, she participates in both individual and group analysis, which she believes are vital, with the observation, “How can I help my patients, when I’m in need myself?”
GERALDINE RUKENSTEIN
Rukenstein says she found ACAP online while she was searching for a program during the pandemic; she matriculated at BGSP-NJ and earned a masters in clinical mental health counseling.” Her favorite course was Attachment theory, which describes the emotional bond between infants and their caregivers and posits the idea that infants are biologically disposed to form attachments to ensure their survival.
She is focused on passing her licensing exam and earning her analytic license.
Others offered observations, and advice, for current and prospective students …
LILLESOL KANE
“Keep working through all the inevitable resistances that emerge as a result of wanting to be a psychoanalyst: They are your best teachers! In doing so, you will learn so much about yourself and how to be a good analyst. ACAP prioritizes experiential and emotional learning above all else. And true to the real power of modern psychoanalysis, this is where real growth and change can happen—on the level of emotion and experience. It took me a long time to realize that psychoanalysis actually
cures the heart more than the mind—it does so by encouraging the individual to talk and experience all their emotions in the presence of another human being. ACAP models this ideal by teaching and supporting its students to talk, learn and share their feelings, all while under the guidance of its faculty.”
CASSIO CAMPELLO DE MENEZES
“This is a very welcoming and accommodating place, and the faculty are wonderful and supportive. Hybrid courses make it easy to study from afar.
Being a student is a great journey, when you learn not only about psychoanalysis but also a great deal about yourself: Be prepared.”
ACAP and BGSP-NJ graduates are always evolving! Here is one update:
“After working in hospital settings for 25 years, in 2013 I joined Bridgeway Behavioral Health Services, where I am currently Vice President of Outpatient Services.
My position is extremely demanding, challenging and different every day. The individuals we serve have complex needs; in our current environment, recruiting and retaining staff is not easy. What has worked for me, over many years working in health care, is to remind myself, especially on tough days, why I went into this field. As an administrator, I often rely upon my ACAP training: The opportunity to impart a sense of purpose and meaning to my colleagues is part of what drives me.
My husband and I live in Watchung, NJ. Our son Daniel, whom many of my fellow ACAP alums met when he was a baby and I brought him to my classes, is about to graduate with a masters in sports and recreation management and is currently interviewing for a position. Within the next few years, my husband and I plan to move back to our beloved New York City!”
—STEPHANIE R. SIMON, LCSW, NCPSYA, CCS, DRCC
STAY IN TOUCH! Email Alumni Relations at support@acapnj.org or dr.rosemarysmcgee@gmail.com. Feel free to send a high-resolution photo; if space permits, we’ll feature it in “Where Are They Now?”
CONFERENCE continued from pg. 5
Elizabeth Olson, Harlan Tenenbaum, and Adam Wright for a discussion based on the theme, “How We Really Bring About Change.”
The conference, co-sponsored by the National Association for the Advancement of Psychoanalysis (NAAP) and BGSP-NJ (Boston Graduate School of Psychoanalysis), conferred Continuing Education Credits (CEUs).
SAVE THE DATE: NOVEMBER 1
ACAP’s Annual Theater Conference
LET THE ART continued from pg. 3
“At ACAP I’ve deepened my understanding and have more fully integrated psychoanalytic concepts into my therapeutic work; this has profoundly enriched both my practice and my patients’ experiences, opening new doors for insight and emotional healing. In many ways, psychoanalysis doesn’t just enhance my work—it found me through it. It gives structure and meaning to what I am already witnessing: that creative expression is a gateway to the unconscious, and that, through art, profound healing is possible.”
ACAP APPEALS TO YOU!
Simply put, we ask that you respond to the call for support—our biannual fundraising appeal, included with this issue of our newsletter.
Inspiration
We shall not cease from exploration And the end of all our exploring Will be to arrive where we started And know the place for the first time. Through the unknown, remembered gate When the last of earth left to discover
Is that which was the beginning; At the source of the longest river
The voice of the hidden waterfall
And the children in the apple-tree
Not known, because not looked for
But heard, half-heard, in the stillness
Between two waves of the sea.
T.S. ELIOT, FROM “LITTLE GIDDING”
Your gift helps fund ACAP’s operations, provides scholarship support for worthy students, and allows us to offer low-cost therapy services for people in crisis who have limited means. We cannot do this work without our community of supporters. Please give generously. Thank you.
Abigail Miller
David Rosenthal
Vicki Semel
Eva Silver
Lisa Thomas
Annette Vaccaro
FACULTY EMERITUS
Frederick “Maurice” Lovell (dec.)
FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE
Dr. Vicki Semel
Dr. Annette Vaccaro
Morris Freedman
Jeffrey Rosenberg
THE QUEST
VOLUME 3, ISSUE1
ACAP | Academy of Clinical & Applied Psychoanalysis
Christina Hall, Writer/Editor
Lynne DeLade, Graphic Designer
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Email: acapnj@acapnj.org
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Can We Better Understand Children?
Whether you are a parent of a child(ren) or want to add to your professional skills for working with children in psychotherapy, consider this fall course: Child Treatment: Theory and Practice (3 credits) Course ID GPSA833a
As an introduction to basic theoretical concepts and practices in child treatment, students begin with the mother and infant intervention to the emergence of adolescence. Case studies will demonstrate the developmental patterns, treatment challenges and modifications in treatment. Students will explore the historical roots of approaches to contemporary practices. Case examples from practice examine common symptom patterns and evidence of trauma, pathology, and resilience within child treatments.
For a complete listing of fall courses, please visit acapnj.org/course/
Recommended Reading
“Generation Gap,” a term that dates to the 1960’s, was then used in tandem with “Baby Boomers,” people born between 1946–1964. The 60s era was the first time that profound cultural generational changes—brought on by the Vietnam War, Woodstock, Kent State and other pivotal events, altered the dynamic between many parents and children, setting the stage for profound changes in American families.
However, is it historical events that really impact generational norms and behaviors? A new book, Generations: The Real Differences Between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers, and Silents—and What They Mean for America’s Future, researched and written by psychologist Dr. Jean Twenge, posits the idea, supported by her research, that it is technology, not events, that determines the course of each generation. “Our lives are strikingly different from the lives of those in decades past, primarily due to the technology we rely on,” she says.
Twenge analyzed data on 39 million people from national surveys—some of which go back nearly a century, and which demonstrate the impact of technology on each generation. She also reveals the attitudinal shifts and lifestyle choices that help define each generation, including factors such as
We regret any errors.
gender, income, politics, race, sexual orientation, marriage, parenthood, mental health and religion, among others. She argues that it is not World War II, the Kennedy assassinations, September 11 or other landmark tragedies that have defined generations, but rather the explosive growth of technology.
“Technology has given us instant communication, unrivaled convenience, and the most precious prize of all: longer lives with less drudgery. At the same time, technology has isolated us from each other, sowed political division, fueled income inequality, spread pervasive pessimism, widened generation gaps, stolen our attention, and is the primary culprit for a mental health crisis among teens and young adults. This is the challenge for all six generations in the decades to come: to find a way for technology to bring us together instead of driving us apart,” says Twenge.
