Freudian Flex

This episode features Dr. Alan Pollack, whose Freudian flexes are based on over 50 years of experience as a psychoanalyst. He is on the faculty at the Boston Psychoanalytic Institute and served as the Director of Psychotherapy Training there for 24 years. He graduated from Harvard Medical School and completed his residency training at Mass Mental Health Center. This episode is a case study of one patient, "Brenda," who gave us permission to share her story [all names used are pseudonyms]. Dr. Pollack teaches us how to look at one millennial patient, who is struggling in her relationship, through the eyes of a psychoanalyst. We discuss the pros and cons of receiving a psychiatric diagnosis. We learn about the type of person who might be a good candidate for psychoanalysis and the concept of "self maintenance capacities" in the face of suffering. Follow us on Instagram @freudianflex. For all inquiries, contact us at freudianflex@gmail.com. Recording/Editing: Daniel Radin Original Music: Nicholas Guarnotta

This episode features the vibrant Dr. Lucinda DiDomenico M.D., whose Freudian flexes are based on 25 years of experience as a psychoanalyst. She completed residency training in both internal medicine and psychiatry and is currently working as a supervisor in the Department of Psychiatry at Tufts Medical Center. She also trained in astrology for 7 years. This interview is a very special one. Dr. DiDomenico opens up for the first time on a public forum about her work with the psychesoma and how her deepened understanding of the universe contributes to the clinical care she provides. We discuss planetary alignment, solar return charts, energies, and religion in the context of psychoanalysis. Dr. DiDomenico shares her multilayered perspective on dreams, silence, space, and time and emphasizes the importance of "becoming, not just knowing" in the setting of psychodynamic therapy. Follow us on Instagram @freudianflex. For all inquiries, contact us at freudianflex@gmail.com. Recording/Editing: Daniel Radin Original Music: Nicholas Guarnotta

This episode features the thoughtful Dr. Randall Paulsen M.D., whose Freudian flexes are based on 40 years of experience as a psychoanalyst, assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, and faculty member at Brigham and Women's Hospital. He also served as the President of the Boston Psychoanalytic Institute from 2004 to 2008. We discuss online dating in the context of desire, narcissism, self image, and Scarlett Johansson's voice. We learn about projection, projective identification, and self objects, and how minimizing our fantasies might lead to more success in the online dating world. Recording/Editing: Daniel Radin Original Music: Nicholas Guarnotta

This episode features the brilliant Dr. Peggy Warren, MD, whose Freudian flexes are based on 33 years of experience as a psychoanalyst and professor at Massachusetts General Hospital, McLean Hospital, and the Boston Psychoanalytic Institute. We discuss Instagram in the context of fantasy, hope, competition, and resilience. We learn about transference and countertransference and how millennials with an understanding of their own associations might feel more solid within the experience of social media. Recording/Editing: Daniel Radin Original Music: Nicholas Guarnotta

Hello listeners! My name is Sonya Freeman and I am a 29-year-old fourth year medical student going into Psychiatry. I have a particular interest in psychoanalysis and its use in my generation, the millennial generation. Millennials tend to move fast and psychoanalysis tends to move slow. Millennials are into the new and the now, while psychoanalysis is known for being outdated. Despite these differences, I think there is a distinct millennial need for psychoanalysis brought on by the advent of social media, online dating, texting, etc. In Freudian Flex, we will explore the ways that the psychoanalytic school of thought addresses these millennial issues in a series of interviews with psychoanalysts.