The American Institute of Medical Education
Fall Conference
Budapest, Danube Cruise and Prague
October 6– 18, 2014
COMMERCIAL DISCLOSURE INFORMATION
The American Institute of Medical Education (AIMED) wishes to advise all learners in this conference
that unless you are advised at the time of a particular presentation, none of the planners or faculty
members have a relevant financial relationship/interest/arrangement or affiliation with any corporate
organization or commercial interest. Signed faculty disclosure forms are on file in the AIMED
corporate office. Further, our faculty members are aware of the responsibility to inform learners of offlabel uses if discussed during any presentation. The American Institute of Medical Education does not
accept commercial support for any of its programs and does not have financial relationships with any
commercial interest. Disclosure forms are on file from all in control of this program’s content. This is
not a commercially supported activity.
Needs, Objectives & Outlines
October 8
AMAPRIMA
9:00 am
TITLE:
NEEDS:
OBJECTIVES:
SPEAKER:
FORMAT:
EVALUATION:
ABSTRACT:
Gregor Mendel and the Gene: A Religious Scientist
The cosmos, our Earth, and life itself are explained very differently by religion
and science. Gregor Mendel, a 19th century Roman Catholic monk in what is
now the Czech Republic, was very well educated in science and math. He is
best known for his contribution to the discovery of the unit of inheritance that
we now call the gene. People who are both good scientists and very religious
have an inevitable cognitive dissonance for which they may seek counseling.
Non-religious scientists and non-scientific religionists probably won’t seek
counseling over this issue.
At the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:
 Describe how Gregor Mendel “discovered” the gene
 Explain how his life as a monk, abbot, and scientist contributed to this
discovery
 Explain what cognitive dissonance he may have experienced
Stephen Baird, M.D.
Didactic lecture enhanced by PowerPoint presentation
Standard Evaluation Form
Gregor Mendel was a farm boy who entered the Church at age 25. His abbot
sent him to Vienna University to study math and science. After that Mendel
taught High School science for 17 years. In his leisure time he began to
investigate certain properties of the genus Pisum, the common pea plant. From
1856 to 1863 he grew 10,000 plants, examined 40,000 flowers, and 300,000
peas in order to determine how seven different “factors” assorted when plants
were hybridized. His work was published in 1865 and was ignored for about 40
years when it was rediscovered. In the meantime he was elected Abbot, went
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into administration, and gave up active investigation, a well-known pathway in
academic science. Unlike Galileo, who was forced by the Inquisition to recant
the Copernican solar system, which he had defended, Mendel probably escaped
condemnation because almost nobody read his work and those that did had no
biological frame of reference to make sense of it.
10:00 am
TITLE:
NEEDS:
OBJECTIVES:
SPEAKER:
FORMAT:
EVALUATION:
ABSTRACT:
The Life of Viktor Frankl: Beyond Resilience
Many patients present with depression and anxiety related to perceived or real
losses. A loved one may have died, a chronic or terminal illness is diagnosed,
dislocation due to job loss or divorce, or the need to face a traumatic childhood
are just some of the life experiences that result in grief and even suicidal
thoughts. Patients have questions about handling grieving feelings, about the
meaning of suffering and one’s purpose in going on living. Understanding
extreme loss, as in Frankl’s case, and learning about how his existential
philosophy and therapy can help clinicians in their work to help these patients
be inspired to see meaning in their own lives and recognize their purpose.
At the end of the presentation, participants will be able to:
 List the three main components at the heart of Dr. Frankl’s treatment
philosophy
 Compare Existential Analysis with Freudian Psychoanalysis
 Learn ways of discussing spirituality and values with traumatized patients.
 Understand the strengths-based approach to treating trauma and supporting
patients’ resilience
Gail Carr Feldman, Ph.D.
Didactic lecture, Power Point including musical examples.
Standard Evaluation Form
This talk documents the life achievements of psychiatrist, Viktor Frankl, from
childhood, his work throughout medical school, the programs he instituted
while in the Theresienstadt Ghetto, and later in the concentration camps
affiliated with Dachau. It also describes the evolution of his philosophy of
surviving trauma and treating suicidal depression. The theme is related to his
discovery in the death camps of what makes life meaningful as outlined in his
classic book, Man’s Search For Meaning. His commitment to the idea that it is
the mature person’s responsibility to find meaning in his life, regardless of
circumstances, is echoed in Erik Erickson’s book, Insight and Responsibility.
Dr. Frankl’s insistent focus on the importance of spirituality in treating those
who are traumatized is eloquently described in his two books, The Doctor and
the Soul, and The Unconscious God: Psychotherapy and Theology. His creation
of Logotherapy, later called, Existential Analysis and his support of Humanistic
psychology is also explained.
11:15 am
2
TITLE:
NEEDS:
OBJECTIVES:
SPEAKER:
FORMAT:
EVALUATION:
OUTLINE:
Alma Mahler: Loss of Father during adolescence and its Effect
on Subsequent Development
Loss of a father during childhood or adolescence often causes great emotional
strain and greatly affects subsequent emotional and sexual development. The
clinician should be aware of these issues so he or she can help patients
encountered in clinical practice who have experienced this loss as well as
patients who have assumed the parental role following such a loss.
At the end of this presentation clinicians will be able to:
 Identify and list 3 signs that a patient has suffered loss of a parent during
childhood or adolescence
 Explain the effects of this loss on subsequent behavior in the patient’s
emotional, mental and physical life.
 Describe in what ways artistic expression is therapeutic.
 Discuss resources and tools available to the patient
Jacqueline Berz-Panter, MA, MS
Didactic lecture with PowerPoint presentation
Standard evaluation form
I. Brief bio of Alma Mahler
II. Discussion of parent loss
a. From the psychiatric and psychological literature
b. Application to the life of Alma Mahler
III. Character traits
a. Seductive
b. Sexual
c. Attraction to older men
i. Klimt
ii. Gustav Mahler
IV. Reaction
a. Walter Gropius
b. Franz Werfel
V. Clinical vignettes
VI. Psychotherapeutic implications
a. Focusing on behavior
b. Focusing on unconscious organizing principles
VII. Summary and Conclusions
12:15 pm
TITLE:
NEEDS:
The Poetry and Music of Leonard Cohen: From Darkness to Light through
Discipline
As practitioners, we use many tools to help patients unlock and untangle the
numerous emotional and psychological knots binding them to self-destructive
patterns of behavior and poor interpersonal relationships. An especially
difficult person to work with is one suffering from severe depression, which was
biologically inherited from a parent. Not only was Cohen biochemically
targeted, he also had the functional aspect of watching his mother’s daily
struggle with this condition. I will demonstrate how this condition affected his
interpersonal relationships and his work. Leonard Cohen chose to self-medicate
and did not elect to have the benefits of a solid long-term psychoanalytic
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OBJECTIVES:
SPEAKER:
FORMAT:
EVALUATION:
OUTLINE:
treatment. I will explore how he chose a life of discipline as a method of
counteracting his depression and how this component can factor in to treatment
plans for clients and patients.
At the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:
 Discuss the damaging effects of depression
 List 3 ways depression can interfere with one’s deep interpersonal
relationships
 Using Leonard Cohen’s creative process, describe how he overcame his
depression by means of living an extremely disciplined life
Marlene Gershman Paley, Ph.D.
Didactic lecture enhanced by animated clips.
Standard Evaluation Form
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
October 10
Biography of Leonard Cohen with emphasis on depression
Exploration of Leonard Cohen’s creative process
Leonard tries to deal with depression on his own through discipline
The lack of trust which prevented him from benefitting from psychiatric
intervention to better help him develop constructive intimate
relationships
Conclusions
AMAPRIMA
9:00 a.m.
TITLE:
NEEDS:
OBJECTIVES:
The Hero’s Journey of the Intuitive Mind: Thriving in a world biased for the
logical and linear
Highly intuitive people frequently seek psychotherapy for a similar cluster of
symptoms: feeling anxious and emotionally overwhelmed; frustration from
having set extraordinarily high standards for themselves; critical self talk;
destructive behaviors with food, alcohol, sex, porn, work, or drugs; a tendency
to feel they are stuck or behind where they should be in their life; chronic
lateness and disorganization; fears of being exposed as a fraud; and an early
experience of feeling different from others around them that can persist to the
present day. They often recall being told that they were too sensitive, daydreamers, or worse. Using a bit of mythology and themes from the Hero’s
Journey we will explore a deeper understanding of how, as intuitive people, we
were deeply invalidated by a cultural bias for logical and linear thinking, the
resulting harm to our psyche and esteem, and how we can reclaim our birthright
to inner wisdom and wholeness.
At the conclusion of the presentation, participants will be able to:
 Compare a positive definition for intuition with a definition of logical
thinking and typical definitions found in the dictionary for intuition
 List the Nine Traits of An Intuitive Mind
 Explain how The Invalidation Wound happens, how it affects
intuitive people, and why it leads to the cluster of systems typically
seen in highly intuitive and creative people who present for treatment
in our offices
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
SPEAKERS:
FORMAT:
Explain the basic idea of Joseph Campbell’s Mono Myth and
understand how and why the Hero’s Journey becomes enacted in the
lives of intuitive and creative people
 Give an Example of two types of an Externally Organized Self
Structure
Michelle Miller Bohls, LMFT
Didactic lecture enhanced by a Prezi or PowerPoint presentation, short
video clips, and elements from mythology
OUTLINE:
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
IX.
X.
Definition and Etymology of Intuition
Joseph Campbell’s Mono Myth and The Hero’s Journey
a. The Invalidation Wound
The Emperor’s New Clothes
Invalidation at home, church, school & in the media
External Organization of Self Esteem
Clusters of symptoms arising from this adaptation
The Wanderer’s Mythology
a. The Nine Traits of An Intuitive Mind
The Hero’s Call to Action
Summary and Conclusions
Questions and Answers
10:00 am
TITLE:
NEEDS:
OBJECTIVES:
SPEAKER:
FORMAT:
OUTLINE:
King Ludwig II of Bavaria The "Mad" King
Without basic nurturing, an infant does not acquire some of the essential
developmental needs, such as self and other differentiation, object constancy
and object permanence. Add to that the intermarriage among close relatives,
typical of the Wittelsbacks and other royalty of Europe, and you have a
particularly vulnerable genetic inheritance. Ludwig is a prime example of such a
person. Isolated from other children, alternately coddled (by caretakers) and
punished harshly (by father). Ludwig grew up socially uncomfortable,
egocentric (his tutors told him he was "chosen by God"), lonely and deeply
introverted. On the other hand, Ludwig was very bright, had an excellent
memory, a great imagination. On the continuum from neurotic, through
borderline to autistic, Ludwig would probably fit between borderline and
autistic, closer to the former.
At the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:
 Discuss this continuum and the elements of child rearing that contribute to
maladaptive personality development.
 Explain issues of idealization and projection, as we watch Ludwig
"become" in his own mind, Lohengrin, Tannhauser and Parsifal, characters
from the murals surrounding him.
 List 3 possible treatments of such a person today
Marlene Eisen, Ph.D.
Didactic Lecture with power point, followed by discussion.
I. The Wittelsbacks, Bavaria's royal family
A. Grandfather, Ludwig 1
5
B. Father, Maximillian 11(age 36)
C. Mother, Crown Princess Maria(19)
D. Brother Otto
E. Royal intermarriages created may genetic eccentricities
II. Ludwig's childhood(Born, August 25, 1845)
A. Parents
B. Isolation
C. First teacher, Sybille Miilhaus
D. Saw his first opera, Lohengrin (1857) age 12,
E. Later tutors
F. Favorite activities
III. Ludwig, II King of Bavaria
A. Became king at 18 (1864) at death of his father.
B. Met Richard Wagner (1864)
C. Personal characteristics as king
D. Avoided administrative and ceremonial duties
E. Built beautiful castles, towers, gardens
F. Died, June13, 1886 in Lake Sternberg
IV. Psychodynamic Evaluation
A. Early psychological impact
B. Lack of object constancy/object permanence
C. Isolation
D. Schizoid symptoms
E. Treatment
11:15 am
TITLE:
NEEDS:
OBJECTIVES:
SPEAKER:
OUTLINE:
From Darkness to Light
Many natives in Fiji lose their near vision because of untreated Presbiopia,
which is loss of near vision when over 40 years of age. Also very progressed
Cataracts are prevalent causing serious chronic disappointment and depressive
disorders. The Fiji Islanders are have many religions that teach that there are
answers to prayer and believe this prayer for vision is not being answered. This
presentation explores the journey from Darkness to Light and how depression
lifts as a result of treating the physical, spiritual and mental concurrently.
At the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:
 Discuss the relationship between religious beliefs and physical, emotional
and mental disorders
 Explain how moving from darkness to light can be applied when treating
patients for conditions of disappointment and depression
 Discuss how to apply these principles to clinical practice.
Jerold Beeve, M.D.
I.
II.
III.
IV.
First experience of answer to prayer
Photo journal
Videos
Conclusion
12:15 pm
6
TITLE:
NEEDS:
OBJECTIVES:
SPEAKER:
FORMAT:
EVALUATION:
ABSTRACT:
October 12
Beethoven’s Deafness: The Triumph of Creativity over Adversity
Mental health professionals are often confronted with the task of helping
patients cope with devastating loss. The onset of deafness is potentially
catastrophic, particularly for a musician. The story of how the composer Ludwig
Van Beethoven transcended his hearing loss in order to further his artistry can
help patients who are searching for inspiration to help them grapple with
adversity.
At the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:
 Describe the connection between mental illness and creativity.
 Discuss the range of potential coping mechanisms in response to loss.
 Explain the impact of childhood trauma on adult development.
Barry M. Panter, M.D., Ph.D.
Didactic lecture and Power Point presentation
Standard Evaluation Form
No composer has ever surpassed Ludwig Van Beethoven in his extraordinary
ability to express the full range of human experience – anxiety and aggression
as well as triumph and transcendence. Beethoven endured an almost
unimaginable obstacle for a musician – he lost his ability to hear. Anguished by
his loss of aural contact with the world, Beethoven withdrew from social
relationships and contemplated suicide, but he eventually found his salvation
through creativity. “I have been hopelessly affected”, Beethoven wrote in his
Heilgenstadt Testament. “I would have ended my life. It was only my art that
held me back. It seemed to me impossible to leave the world until I had brought
forth all that I felt was within me. So I endured this wretched existence.” In his
deaf world, Beethoven was liberated from the musical styles and conventions of
his time and he composed his greatest masterpieces as he withdrew into the
world of his imagination.
AMAPrima
4:00 – 6:00 pm
TITLE:
NEEDS:
FORMAT:
Discussion Group
The interactive discussion group will give the participants an opportunity to
share and discuss on a deeper and more detailed level the important
psychosocial lessons taught in the morning lectures and so help them remove
obstacles they might face in treating their patients. The Discussion Groups will
be used to actively involve the participants in handling the concepts and
principles presented, and to allow for greater elaboration and refinement of
points made earlier.
Interactive group discussion led by faculty
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October 15
The Mark, Prague
9:00 am
TITLE:
NEEDS:
OBJECTIVES:
SPEAKER:
FORMAT:
EVALUATION:
ABSTRACT:
The Mind Of Kafka
Every person has enigmatic features, which may impact the therapeutic
interaction, so it is essential to observe and gently explore these aspects of
human life. Given this, we will explore the prototypic existentialist enigma,
Franz Kafka, fin de siècle observer, philosopher and writer during a time when
there was a widespread belief that civilization leads to decadence, a belief which
resurfaced at the end of the last century. The political themes during Kafka’s
lifetime are thought to have given rise to fascism as a revolt against liberal
democracy and materialism, again, a current concern. Against this backdrop,
Kafka lived a life of contradictory exploration, alienated from family, friends,
countrymen and self, saying that he didn’t have anything in common with his
fellow Jews, because he didn’t feel that he even had anything in common with
himself. We make assumptions/diagnoses about our patients based on our
extensive education, clinical training and experience, but eliminating the bias of
our own projection is a challenge, as each of us has lived a life with various
degrees of Kafkaesque experiences. These experiences change us by causing us
to reframe prior assumptions/illusions and evolve to newer
assumptions/illusions. Recognizing this process in ourselves helps us gain
insights into ourselves to help our patients. It is said that Kafka was probably
“schizo-affective” by inference, of course. I will offer a phenomenological
description of this man, not to “diagnose”, but rather discuss his short life as a
series of adjustment reactions to hostile indifference and absurdity, leading to
anxiety, withdrawal and sadness, culminating in a horrible death from
tuberculosis. We find ourselves in a world no less hostile, indifferent or absurd,
so we may consider our non-psychotic patients to have similar adjustment
reactions. Perhaps our patients would feel “understood”, rather than labelled as
“depressed”, “bi-polar” or “schizo-affective”, when they are simply becoming
existentialists.
At the conclusion of the presentation, participants will be able to:
 List (privately) three important contradictions in your own life
 Explain Kafka’s life trajectory as a natural consequence of relentless
intellectual curiosity in a stultifying environment.
 Discuss the clinical utility of applying “adjustment reaction” descriptors for
non-psychotic patients.
 Compare Kafka and his stories to your own experiences (privately).
Randall J. Bjork, M.D.
Didactic Lecture accompanied by a PowerPoint presentation
Standard Evaluation Form
The stories of Franz Kafka resonate with us, often most unexpectedly,
illustrating his timeless and brilliant insights into the human plight, especially
the plight of men. “Seeking Father’s approval” seems to be a universal male
quest and certainly this was true with Kafka, but would it have made any
difference in his life? His view of women seemed mostly respectful, but goaloriented, reflecting a robust libido and a willingness to pay for sexual pleasure.
His search for “The Authority” or “The Decision-Maker” is reflected in our own
concern about “who’s in charge?”. Most people have doubts about how they fit
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into their world. Kafka gave words to that alienation, allowing us to enter his
Kafkaesque world. Rather than “diagnosing” Kafka, let us view his life as a
series of fundamental adjustment reactions, each providing material for his
stories. Perhaps we can view our non-psychotic patients in the same way, with
their adjustment reactions defining them and providing the narrative of their
own complex and contradictory lives.
10:00 am
TITLE:
Prague, Mozart and Da Ponte: Psychology, Serendipity and Success
NEEDS:
Healthcare providers need to recognize the relationship between the patient’ s
presentation and his/her social milieu. Providers need to recognize atavistic sociopolitical attributes to the presentation. Providers need to recognize the presence
of metaphor in the presentation
OBJECTIVES:
At the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:
 Recognize – and address appropriately – the concerns of those patients who
have been exposed to socio-political trauma
 Recognize – and address appropriately – the place of metaphor in the
acting-out of pathology
Godfrey Ripley, MD
Didactic lecture enhanced by PowerPoint presentation
Standard Evaluation Form
The presentation will explore the visits to Prague by Mozart and Da Ponte – at
first individually and then as a composer-librettist team. How the fortuitous
juxtaposition a half-world away of the historic events of 1776 were essential
ingredients to the success of these 2 artists and their three joint operatic works.
The relevance of these concepts to clinical practice will be discussed
SPEAKER:
FORMAT:
EVALUATION:
ABSTRACT:
11:15 am
TITLE:
NEEDS:
OBJECTIVES:
SPEAKERS:
FORMAT:
EVALUATION:
OUTLINE:
Theresienstadt - Creativity In The Model Camp
Although the attrition of Holocaust survivors is a fact, those who still survive
and their progeny down to their grandchildren may still be in need of the help of
a mental health professional in order to deal with PTSD and other mental health
problems that still plague those families. Understanding the circumstances
surrounding the survivor's Holocaust experiences and the reactions of their
families to those survivors will enable the therapist to deal with their trauma.
An understanding of some of their coping mechanisms includes how the arts in
the camps helped these victims cling to life against terrible odds.
At the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:
 Explain the artistic creativity in Theresienstadt that enabled victims to find
meaning in living
 List 3 benefits of using purpose and hope when working with clients who
suffer severe trauma
 Discuss how the idea of a “model camp” can be applied to clients and what
treatment might be utilized
Carol Davidson Baird, MA
Didactic lecture enhanced by PowerPoint presentation
Standard Evaluation Form
9
I.
II.
III.
IV.
Introduction to Theresienstadt, the fortress, and its purpose during the
Holocaust
Red Cross visit to the 'model' camp
Creativity by the prisoner artisans of Theresienstadt
A.
Literature
B.
Art
C.
Theater
D.
Music
What we can learn from the victims' indomitable spirits
1:30 – 3:30
TITLE:
NEEDS:
FORMAT:
October 16
Discussion Group
The interactive discussion group will give the participants an opportunity to
share and discuss on a deeper and more detailed level the important
psychosocial lessons taught in the morning lectures and so help them remove
obstacles they might face in treating their patients. The Discussion Groups will
be used to actively involve the participants in handling the concepts and
principles presented, and to allow for greater elaboration and refinement of
points made earlier.
Interactive group discussion led by faculty
The Mark, Prague
9:00 a.m.
TITLE:
NEEDS:
OBJECTIVES:
SPEAKER:
FORMAT:
Gustav Klimt: Rebel With A Cause
Therapists must often deal with patients who are “different” and “unacceptable”
by contemporary society. This can be a great source of stress and lead patients
to give up, against their will, their own sense of what is right. Gustav Klimt, a
turn-of the century Viennese artist was raised as one of seven children in a
family of very modest means. Yet, his talents was recognized very early and he
entered an art school where, although an outsider, his talent flourished. Later in
life, showing great ego strength, he rebelled against the accepted art standards
of his day and established an alternative school of art which was at first derided
by the art authorities of the day. How his interpersonal supports gave him the
strength to withstand harsh criticism and continue on his own path is something
psychotherapists must learn if they are to be effective in treating patients who
choose “unacceptable” life paths.
By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:
 Identify characteristics of patients who view themselves as “different”.
 Discuss how this self-perception leads to anxiety and depression.
 Help patients to differentiate between real differences and imagines ones.
 Provide support to the patient’s self-determination and ego strength.
 Discuss how “art”, in many forms, can decrease stress and increase selfconfidence
Martin Seidenfeld, Ph.D.
Didactic lecture accompanied by a PowerPoint presentation.
10
EVALUATION:
ABSTRACT:
Standard evaluation form.
Gustav Klimt (1862 – 1918) was born into a family of very modest means, but
still managed to attend a special art school when his talents were recognized.
Perceived by others as an “outsider” he nonetheless followed his own artistic
instincts. Klimt grew up in a period of tremendous artistic and intellectual
ferment, including Freud’s development of psychoanalysis. Klimt used the new
psychology to paint not merely what the camera saw, but the inner essence and
unconscious aspects of the subjects he painted. Initially scorned by the art
experts of the time, his genius was eventually recognized and lauded. This
presentation will illustrate Klimt’s growth and development through his works
and his times.
10:00 a.m.
TITLE:
NEEDS:
OBJECTIVES:
SPEAKER:
FORMAT:
EVALUATION:
OUTLINE:
The paintings of Maria Lassnig: Body Awareness – Sister to the Psyche
Trauma, identity conflict, and pain can affect the physical body in powerful
ways. Patients cannot always access this verbally or may be reticent to share
somatic experience. Through the art of Maria Lassnig, clinicians can
observe how continued depiction of physical sensations expressed the
artist’s inner self. This presentation will explore how attunement to bodily
experience can enhance psychotherapy through psychodynamic concepts,
recent body image research, new studies in art therapy and creativity.
At the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:
 Identify 4 historic and current psychological/cultural dynamics that
inhibit or enhance expression of bodily experience
 Distinguish between 3 somatic disorders and bodily attunement that
enhances psychological functioning
 Compare approaches to increasing body awareness – therapeutic
indications and contra-indications
 Explain the efficacy of new uses of visual/creative modalities in
psychotherapy with differing patient populations
Kathleen W. Huston Ph.D., M.F.T.
Didactic lecture with PowerPoint presentation
Standard evaluation form
I. Definition of terms
II. Maria Lassnig: historical and philosophical milieu
Her “body awareness” figurative work
Her views
Links to psychoanalysis
III. The psychological-bodily self
Lifespan range of body images - new findings
Somatic disorders – including dysmorphic disorder
Trauma and the body
IV. The body in psychotherapy
Alternate treatment modalities
Vignettes
Psychotherapy
Art therapies & creative work
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