Dying to be Loved: A Kleinian Perspective on Love, Starvation, and Reparation

Dr. Blass challenges the classical psychoanalytic idea that the interpretation of unconscious truth is what cures. She interrogates the idea that coming to know about one’s unconscious dynamics through interpretation will lead to change.

This field is required.
This field is required.

Saturday, April 11, 2026

9:00 - 12:15 PM in-person 
Registration is required for this program.
This event will be held in-person at BPSI.
 

Dying to be Loved:
A Kleinian Perspective on Love, Starvation, and Reparation

It is not uncommon for a patient to feel that there is something wrong in their body. However, when a patient’s fears persist and intensify over time, despite undergoing medical tests and interventions, how might a therapist think about what may be going on in the treatment?  When this happens, the therapist often needs to tolerate powerful projections of fear and aggression, while trying to help the patient develop her capacity to tolerate closeness and distance in the therapeutic relationship.   This paper traces the evolution of a treatment through the lens of Kleinian theory, focusing on a patient’s internal object world and making sense of enactments between patient and therapist. As the treatment evolves, and the therapist develops her capacity to receive and work with the strong projections such a case involves, the therapist describes how the patient begins to develop increased tolerance for the feeling of separateness.  

 

Speakers
   
     

Lacey Liebert, LMHC is a graduate of BPSI’s Advanced Training Program in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy (ATP). For the past 12 years, Lacey has worked at the non-profit Justice Resource Institute in a variety of roles, from Clinician to Clinical Director. She continues to work at a JRI community-based clinic in a per diem capacity. Lacey also has a private practice in Westborough, MA. 
   
     

Kay Long, PhD is a psychologist and psychoanalyst in private practice in New Haven, CT. She is an Associate Clinical Professor in the Psychiatry Department of the Yale School of Medicine and a Training and Supervising Analyst at the Western New England Institute for Psychoanalysis, where she serves on the Education Committee and is Director of the Scholars Program. Her teaching and writing interests involve contemporary Kleinian approaches to therapeutic process and change. She serves on the editorial board of the International Journal of Psychoanalysis and is co-editor (with Penelope Garvey) of The Kleinian Tradition: Evolution of Theory and Practice (Karnac 2018).  
   
     

Rachel McBride, PsyD is a psychologist and psychoanalyst in private practice in Brookline. She is on the faculty of the Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute’s Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy program and Adult Psychoanalytic programs. She is also a supervisor in BPSI's ATP program.

Moderator
   

Brad Shattuck, DO is a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst in private practice in the Back Bay of Boston. He is the assistant director of the psychotherapy program at BPSI. He also provides psychotherapy supervision to residents at Tufts Medical Center and is an assistant clinical professor at Tufts University School of Medicine. 

 

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this program, participants will be able to:

  1. Describe the Kleinian notion of how unconscious phantasy emerges in symptom formation. 
  2. Discuss how countertransference can be used to understand a patient’s defensive use of splitting. 
  3. Describe how aggression influences the evolution of treatment.
 

Schedule

8:45 Coffee 
9:00- Introduction 
9:25 Presentation
10:25 Coffee Break 
10:40  1st Discussant 
11:10  2nd Discussant
11:30 Discussion with audience

This program is made possible by the generous support of BPSI members and friends. Your gift to BPSI supports psychoanalytic and psychotherapy education and ensures the future of our field. To make a gift, please visit www.bpsi.org.

 
The target audience for this program is mental health clinicians at all levels of training and members of the community.
 
 
Registration Fee
$125* Program Fee
 
We are committed to accessibility for all of our programs. BPSI offers an Equity Rate, and we invite you to pay what you are able for this event.
 
*The fee is waived for Early Career Clinicians (within 5 years of licensure), BPSI Members & Partners.

 

Recording

This event will be audio-recorded for transcription and archival purposes. The audio may also be used for educational purposes. 

Continuing Education

Physicians: This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint provider ship of American Psychoanalytic Association and The Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute . The American Psychoanalytic Association is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.”
The American Psychoanalytic Association designates this Live Activity for a maximum of 3 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT: The APsA CE Committee has reviewed the materials for accredited continuing education and has determined that this activity is not related to the product line of ineligible companies and therefore, the activity meets the exception outlined in Standard 3: ACCME's identification, mitigation and disclosure of relevant financial relationship. This activity does not have any known commercial support. 

Psychologists: The Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute maintains responsibility for this program and its content. This course offers 3 hours of CE credits for psychologists.

Social Workers: Application for social work continuing education credits has been submitted. Please contact us at team@bpsi.org or 617-266-0953 for the status of social work CE accreditation.
Please note: Per NASW requirements, social workers must attend 80% of a course in order to be eligible for continuing education credit.

Licensed Mental Health Clinicians: The Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute (BPSI) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6913. BPSI is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. This program offers 3 NBCC Clock Hours.
 
 

Event Cancellation Policies & Procedures
Any program participant requesting their individual program registration be canceled must submit their request in writing via email to BPSI Office at team@bpsi.org. For fee-based events, a request for cancellation (and refund using the original form of payment) must be received no later than 48 hours in advance of the event. Requests received later than 48 hours prior to the event will not be processed or accepted. All approved refunds are subject to a $10.00 administrative fee. If BPSI cancels an event, all registrants will receive a full refund of fees paid (no administration charge) no later than two business days following the scheduled date of the event, using the original form of payment.

Grievance Policy
Please address any questions or concerns about your experience at this or any program or event you have attended at the Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute to the Program Chair, via the Administrative Team, BPSI,141 Herrick Road, Newton Centre, MA 02459; team@bpsi.org; 617.266.0953.

The Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute, Inc.,141 Herrick Road, Newton Centre, MA 02459, does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, age, sexual orientation, national origin or handicap in the admissions, administration of its educational programs, scholarship programs or employment.