Explore the Oedipus complex with Professor Carveth in South Africa. Learn about Freud, Klein, and Lacan's psychoanalytic concepts for psychologists.
South African psychologists working in psychodynamic or integrative ways will appreciate this course on the Oedipus complex, a foundational idea in psychoanalytic theory. Professor Don Carveth draws on Freud, Klein and Lacan to show how the complex shapes psychic development and relational patterns. He addresses debates about its universality and cultural specificity, and asks whether its roots lie in desire or in a narcissistic need for centrality. Clinical application runs throughout, with attention to how oedipal dynamics appear in clients' relationships. The course is accredited by the HPCSA for CPD points and supports stronger formulation and psychotherapeutic intervention.
This engaging and intellectually rich talk by Professor Don Carveth revisits the Oedipus complex - a foundational concept in psychoanalytic theory. Drawing on the work of Freud, Klein, and Lacan, Carveth explores how this complex shapes psychic development and relational dynamics.
The presentation delves into evolving perspectives on the Oedipus complex, including debates about its universality, cultural specificity, and whether its roots lie in desire or narcissistic need for centrality. Carveth integrates Freudian theory with Kleinian positions and Lacanian perspectives, helping practitioners understand how these ideas manifest in clinical settings.
This talk is particularly valuable for psychologists working in psychodynamic or integrative modalities, offering fresh insight into long-standing developmental and relational conflicts in therapy
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this talk, participants will be able to:
Describe the traditional Freudian concept of the Oedipus complex and its psychodynamic significance.
Understand and contrast Kleinian and Lacanian interpretations of the complex.
Critically evaluate the cultural and clinical relevance of the Oedipus complex in contemporary practice.
Recognise how oedipal dynamics may present in clients’ relational patterns.
Apply theoretical concepts to improve formulation and psychotherapeutic intervention.