Abandonment Depression: The Masterson Approach and Affective Memory.5TH BIENNUAL CONFERENCE.

PRESENTS OUR 5^TH BIENNUAL CONFERENCE.

30 AND 31 AUGUST 2018

PROTEA HOTEL
DURBANVILLE, CAPE TOWN.

James Masterson used the term Abandonment Depression to describe the affective memories associated with the emerging real self. Affective memories that enter the treatment room as a result of failing maladaptive defensive patterns, are reflective of the emerging self’s struggles with developmental arrests, separation individuation failures and botched reparation attempts. Affective memories associated with traumatic attachments and failed separations, do not allow for real self-activation. These are memories that the pre-oedipal self defends against, and these memories form the foundation for false self formation.

Masterson was clear: remove the defenses, stop the acting out and facilitate the real self-activation. The real self is kept outside reality by defenses built on avoiding these feelings/memories.

This conference aims to provide both international and national attendants opportunities to explore new perspectives associated with the Abandonment Depression. The conference will offer material showing the importance of a treatment approach that will allow access to affective memories that needs to be translated for the real self to actively be present in the treatment room and the therapeutic process.

Since 2007, awareness of the efficacy of the Masterson Approach has been expanding in South Africa. Previous conferences have been hosted in Pretoria, South Africa since 2009. MISA offers reading groups, clinical seminars and individual supervision to clinicians.

MISA would also like to thank all the international faculty members for making a special effort to attend this conference: Dr. Judith Pearson (USA), Carolyn Bankston (USA), Dr. Loray Daws (CAN), Candace Orcutt (USA) and Dr. Murray Schane (USA), Meral Aydin (Turkey), Dr. Kelly Bertrand (USA).

We hope that this conference will be a great learning experience for you and we welcome your participation. We can learn from each other more than we can be taught, please keep that in mind.

Sincerely,

Sean Moorcroft
Director: MISA