Division 39 Task Force on Public Relations for Psychoanalysis

The Mission of the Task Force is to influence the perception and understanding of psychoanalysis as a discipline and as a therapeutic treatment among members of Division 39, the psychology profession and the public more broadly in the interest of creating awareness of psychoanalysis in a modern, 21st century and beyond context.

The Task Force on Public Relations for Psychoanalysis has undertaken an ambitious project “Redrawing the Face of Psychoanalysis.”  Asked what the face of psychoanalysis is now we would answer: “stale, pale, male.” If the true vibrancy of the discipline, what animates all of us is truly to be known and appreciated by others outside the field, then we have to talk to them in language that is relevant to their lives and stays true to who we are and what we do.

Our current “Redrawing the Face of Psychoanalysis” campaign involves a survey from which we will analyze how the members of the Division characterize psychoanalysis. We will use this data as the basis for formulating the message we want various publics to have about who we are and what we do. A further explanation of this project follows on the pages:

Longer description of the "Redrawing the Face of Psychoanalysis" campaign.

Please participate in our online survey by clicking here.

Nina K. Thomas, Ph.D., Chair
Mary Beth Cresci (ex officio)
Tanya Hess
Daniel Hsu
Jaine Darwin
Bill MacGillivray
Sean Murphy
Susan Parlow
Larry Zelnick
Steve Axelrod (ex officio)