Tampa Bay Psychoanalytic Society

Saturday, September 20, 9:30 am-12:30 pm EST

Speaker: Vera Békés, Ph.D.

“Implicit Relational Learning and Change During Treatment”

Summary of Talk

According to the Boston Change Process Group, patients change in treatment not only because of explicit discussion and interventions, but also through implicit learning processes. Implicit relational learning in analytic treatment has been described using different terms, for example, the Moment of meeting by Daniel Stern; and more recently, new concepts have been developed to capture such processes. This presentation will focus on the concepts of the Real Relationship and

Authentic Relational Moments, and present research findings regarding their impact on the therapeutic process and change over the course of treatment.

3 Objectives:

1) Identify key concepts related to implicit relational learning in psychotherapy, including the Moment of Meeting, Real Relationship, and Authentic Relational Moments.

2) Explain how implicit processes contribute to therapeutic change, beyond explicit discussion and intervention, as described by the Boston Change Process Group.

3) Evaluate current research findings on the impact of the Real Relationship and Authentic Relational Moments on the therapeutic process over the course of treatment.

Bio

Vera Békés, PhD is an Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology and Co-Director of the Psychodynamic Program at Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Yeshiva University, New York. She was trained in clinical psychology and philosophy at ELTE and Pecs Universities in Budapest, and at McGill University and Université du Québec á Montréal. She has authored over 70 peer-reviewed papers, a book and several book-chapters, and she is a regular speaker at (inter)national conferences. Her research focuses on the psychotherapy process and the therapeutic relationship in various settings, including online interventions. She has gained clinical and supervision experience at various psychiatric hospitals and clinics both in Europe and Canada. She is a licensed psychologist in Québec and maintains a private practice in Montréal.

Békés, V., Spina, D.J., Aafjes-van Doorn, K. (2024). The Development and Validation of an Observer-Rated Measure for the Real Relationship. Psychotherapy Research, 35(5), 807-817. https://doi.org/10.1080/10503307.2024.2360459

Békés, V. & Hoffman, L. (2021). The “Something More” than Working Alliance: Authentic Relational Moments in an integrative framework of relational learning. Journal of theAmerican Psychoanalytic Association, 68(6), 1051-1064. https://doi.org/10.1177/0003065120983602

Békés, V., Aafjes‐van Doorn, K., Roberts, K. E., Stukenberg, K., Prout, T., & Hoffman, L.(2023). Adjusting to a new reality: Consensual qualitative research on therapists' experiences with teletherapy. Journal of clinical psychology, 79(5), 1293-1313

3 CME’S

LOCATION: Virtual - Zoom

CHARGE: Members get up to 21 CMEs/CEUs for free per year.

Non-members pay $25 to attend a 3 hour speaker program meeting and an additional $20 for CEUs for a total of $45 (or $15/CEU).

Register Online: https://tbps.wildapricot.org/

ACCME Accreditation Statement

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of American Psychoanalytic Association and Tampa Bay Psychoanalytic Society. The American Psychoanalytic Association is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

AMA Credit Designation Statement

The American Psychoanalytic Association designates this live activity for a maximum of 3 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

The APsA CE Committee has reviewed the materials for accredited continuing education and has determined that this activity is not related to the product line of ineligible companies and therefore, the meets the exception outlined in Standard 3: ACCME,s identification, mitigation and disclosure of relevant financial relationship. This activity does not have any known commercial support.