Relating Racially: Shifting Between We, They, and I Senses of Self

Psychoanalysts and psychotherapists are currently showing considerable interest in, and concern over, the relevance of different forms of racism to psychological suffering and to the development of the field of psychoanalysis itself. This presentation aims to address gaps in current practice and clinical knowledge by reviewing recent approaches to the question of psychoanalysis and race. Stephens will foreground her own approach, using a combination of psychoanalytic theories of large group identity formation (Volkan), epidermalization (Fanon), and multiple self-states (Bromberg) to offer insights and knowledge for improving both psychoanalytic theory and practice. The presentation ends with a discussion of how a meaningful engagement with black feminist theory, the field that first theorized the intersectionality (Crenshaw) of our personal and social identities, would be useful for the development of psychoanalyst’s and psychotherapist’s ability to navigate complex issues around racial, cultural and ethnic identities in clinical settings.