“Training Done? Write!” A Response to Alexander Stein

Abstract

In this reply to Stein, the author looks at psychoanalytic writing for the general public from the perspective of readers and writers with a special emphasis on encouraging early career professionals to do this work. He rebalances Stein’s emphasis on a reinvigorated psychoanalysis solving problems across domains by prioritizing a psychoanalysis that enriches experience. Using his own personal journey as psychoanalyst and writer as illustration, he describes writing as an authentic oscillation between one’s private thoughts and a conversation with readers, both imagined and actual. He concludes with a set or practical suggestions for how psychoanalysts can effectively write for the general public.

Keywords:

• writing
• early career professionals
• social responsibility

Notes

¹ This was originally written prior to the spread of COVID-19. Using remote treatment as a better than nothing response to the clinical exigencies of a public health crisis requiring social distancing behavior change is not at all related to this sleepwalking.

² Most notably, I’ve been in an informal online writing group since 2008 with Jeff McMahon and David DiSalvo. Jeff teaches writing at the University of Chicago and covers green technology at Forbes. David has written several books about the practical consequences of brain research and covers that topic at Forbes.

³ This advice comes from J. Russell (Rusty) King who said it to me several times while editing the magazine work I did during graduate school. He was both Deputy News Editor at the NY Times and a dear friend from college who died much too young in 2000 from AIDS-related pneumonia.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Todd Essig

Todd Essig, PhD is Training and Supervising Psychoanalyst at the William Alanson White Institute. Widely known as a pioneer in the innovative uses of mental health technologies, he publishes and lectures widely. He has served on editorial boards for Contemporary Psychoanalysis and JAPA and recently co-edited a special issue of Psychoanalytic Perspectives on psychoanalysis and technology. He currently writes “Managing Mental Wealth” for Forbes where he covers the intersection of technology, psychology, and culture. His practice is in New York City where he treats individuals and couples, almost all of whom come to his office.