Guilt: A Psychoanalytic Exploration

CPD courses for psychologists

This talk explores the complex nature of guilt through a contemporary psychoanalytic lens, examining both conscious & unconscious guilt & how these shape human behaviour, relationships & emotional wellbeing. Participants will be introduced to key distinctions including persecutory & reparative guilt, as well as the role of the superego as an internal critic that can drive self-punishment, suffering & self-sabotage.

The talk also considers how guilt can be justified or unjustified, how it may be induced in early relationships, & how individuals can become stuck in cycles of suffering due to unresolved unconscious processes. A focus will be placed on the movement toward reparation, responsibility & conscience, highlighting pathways toward growth, emotional repair & greater psychological freedom.

Sections

• Conscious & unconscious guilt
• Persecutory & reparative guilt
• The super ego & self-punishment
• Justified, unjustified & induced guilt
• Therapeutic approaches to working with guilt

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this talk, participants will be able to:

• Describe the differences between conscious & unconscious guilt
• Identify persecutory & reparative guilt in clinical or everyday contexts
• Explain the role of the super ego in maintaining self-punishment & suffering
• Distinguish between justified & unjustified guilt
• Apply basic principles for working with guilt in therapeutic settings

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