AAMFT Podcast with Dr. Eli Karam

Introduction

• Host: Dr. Eli Karam
• Podcast by the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT)
• Focus: Systemic therapy, education, and innovation
• Content: Interviews, news, direct practice, and emerging trends in MFT profession
• Website: aamft.org

Guests: Jill and David Scharf

• First husband and wife team on the podcast
• Known for integrating systemic thinking with psychoanalytic object relations approach
• Founders of the International Psychotherapy Institute
• David: Former VP of the International Association for Couple and Family Psychoanalysis, VP of ASECT, teaching analyst
• Jill: Professor of psychiatry, involved in dance and theater

Professional Backgrounds

• Both trained as psychiatrists
• Influenced by object relations theory
• Shifted focus to family therapy through work with adolescents and families

Integration of Systemic and Psychoanalytic Approaches

• Early influences: Nathan Ackerman's approach to family and analytic concepts
• Object relations theory: Working within and between minds and relationships
• Importance of understanding family dynamics psychoanalytically

Personal and Professional Collaboration

• Met at Tavistock Centre, London
• Developed a shared interest in group dynamics and family therapy
• Professional and personal life intertwined

The Tavistock Centre

• UK’s hub for object relations thinking
• Influential in training in analytic and systemic approaches

Enrique Pichon-Riviere

• Theorist who influenced systemic therapy from South America
• Introduced the concept of 'the link' in families
• Brought attention to the internal family system idea

Evolution as Therapists

• Balance between analytic roots and systemic therapy
• Emphasis on interdisciplinary approach in training

International Psychotherapy Institute (IPI)

• Founded in 1994
• Offers training in object relations and systemic therapy
• Emphasis on group-based learning and teleanalysis

Training and Learning

• Focus on integrating cognitive material with emotional responses in group settings
• Importance of using oneself as a therapeutic instrument
• Training model includes both in-person and distance learning

Legacy and Future Developments

• Continued work in Russia and China
• Emphasis on international collaboration and technology in therapy
• Aim to spread knowledge through free distribution of psychotherapy books

Resources

• International Psychotherapy Institute: theipi.org
• Free Psychotherapy Books: FreePsychotherapyBooks.org

Conclusion

• The Scharfs' passion for integrating systemic and analytic methods
• Importance of lifelong learning and adaptation in therapy practice