In this thought-provoking webinar, Dr. Adrian Perkel integrates contemporary neuroscience with psychoanalytic theory to explore the concept of the death drive and its function within the human psyche. The course examines the role of aggression in both pathological and normative contexts, particularly how it serves to bind free energy when frustration arises from unmet needs. Dr. Perkel delves into defense mechanisms and their role in automatizing patterns through regression to encoded implicit memory, leading to symptom formation. This integrative approach offers clinicians a novel perspective on formulating symptoms and psychopathology, ultimately informing and modifying treatment strategies
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this talk, participants will be able to:
Understand the interplay between aggression, the death drive, and symptom formation.
Identify how unmet needs and frustration contribute to the development of defense mechanisms and implicit memory patterns.
Apply integrated psychoanalytic and neuroscientific concepts to clinical formulation and treatment planning.
Enhance therapeutic interventions by recognizing the underlying aggressive drives in psychopathology.