Episode 5- Oedipus Redux

In this episode Deb and Maury conclude their examination of how Davanloo positions himself to Freudian theory by continuing to consider the various ways he quotes and talks about Freud in Unlocking the Unconscious.Deb gets irritated that he doesn't quote Melanie Klein more, since she considers Kleinian theory to be a strong influence on ISTDP metapsychology. They also discuss the ways that the superego is discussed, frequently engaging battle imagery evoking notion that one could ultimately conquer the superego through the techniques of ISTDP.Deb and Maury challenge this premise and consider what it might mean to be "clear" of a superego, likening some of the ways ISTDP has been taken up as similar to trends of the "human potential movement," where techniques were aimed at somehow "clearing" out the causes of human suffering.Deb makes an interesting interpretation and the two decide that the next episode will tackle the question of, "So what?" They plan on exploring what their interpretations of Davanloo's text might mean for contemporary ISTDP training, discourse, and practice.References:Davanloo H. (1990) Unlocking theunconscious. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons.