Psychoanalysis, Harm and Risk Reduction in Vulnerable Populations

Abstract

Since 2013, Corra pro Abraço has offered harm-and-risk reduction programs to substance users and other vulnerable populations in the communities of Salvador, Brazil. When translated into English, the agency’s name “Run for a Hug” epitomizes a profoundly empathic approach derived from both classical psychoanalysis and contemporary theory and practice in mental health. Informed by the concept of “analytical device” to examine the interplay between human, political and physical geography, Corra pro Abraço emphasizes the ethical-political dimension of psychoanalysis. This mission is promoted on multiple levels, from the psychologist who works with individuals on the street, to the planners of a new extension for individual counseling, to the advocates who saw psychoanalysis successfully inserted into aspects of Brazil social policy.

Keywords:

• psychoanalysis
• vulnerable populations
• harm reduction
• mental health

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s)

Notes

1 The authors’ approach follows the Brazilian tradition of psychoanalysis, which is strongly influenced by the ideas of Jacques Lacan. For a more detailed discussion of the North American tradition, we recommend Altman (2020) and Twemlow (2018). Both autors work with vulnerable populations in non-traditional setting.