Treatment Center

New York Psychoanalytic Society and Institute

Affiliated Staff Conference

Sunday, February 23^rd @ 11:00 AM

via Zoom

Presenter:

Piergiuseppe Fedele, M.D.

NYPSI Graduate of 2022

Discussant:

 Cosimo Schinaia, M.D.

Training and Supervising Psychoanalyst 

of the 

Italian Psychoanalytic Society 

This case study presents the psychoanalytic treatment of a 30-year-old artist who sought analysis to address long-standing struggles with depression, anxiety, intimacy, and pervasive boundary confusion. Her history includes childhood trauma linked to inappropriate physical closeness with her father and a troubled relationship with her mother, whose emotional withdrawal and depression profoundly impacted the patient’s inner world. These dynamics shaped her masochistic tendencies and difficulty trusting others, which manifested in her transference and relationships. Early sessions highlighted her pattern of self-punishment following success, and reliance on splitting and projection as main defenses. The therapeutic process involved working through intense transference and countertransference dynamics, particularly during the transition to remote sessions, which exacerbated her struggles with object constancy and reality testing. Despite moments of intense regression, the analysis fostered greater integration of love and hate, a capacity for guilt and reparation, and an ability to tolerate separateness. Over time, she demonstrated significant progress in her personal and professional life, reflecting increased emotional resilience and self-awareness.

• Due to sensitive clinical content, this invitation is exclusively for members or trainees at NYPSI or at SPI (Italian Psychoanalytic Society). Please DO NOT forward to anyone outside NYPSI or SPI.
• A summary of the case and a Zoom link will be sent out to those who register for the event. Please register by sending an email to Questo indirizzo email è protetto dagli spambots. È necessario abilitare JavaScript per vederlo..