January 6, 2025 - May 5, 2025 | 7:00-8:30PM (ET) | Fully Online Workshop
Description:
In his instructions to actors, Hamlet directs them to “…hold as ‘twere the mirror up to Nature to show Virtue her feature, Scorn her own image, and the very age and body of the time his form and pressure” (Hamlet, Arden, 2016, Act III, Sc.2, 21-24). This course compares the assumptions about human motives implicit in the plays of William Shakespeare and the psychoanalytic and sociological theories of Erich Fromm. More specifically, it looks at their views on fundamental human motives, empathy, the “other,” sadism, and hope and despair. The premise is to create “dialogue” between these two astute observers of human behavior will yield interesting ideas for discussion.
Learning Objectives:
At the conclusion of this workshop, attendees will be able to:
January 6
- Describe Fromm’s conception of human motivations, including needs for relatedness, transcendence, rootedness, identity, and a frame of orientation and devotion.
- Explain Fromm’s concept of active love and its place in his theory of human motivation.
- Compare Fromm’s vision of love with Shakespeare’s in “King Lear.”
February 3
- Explain the Frommian concept of treatment as a “face to face” empathic encounter.
- Describe some of the ways toward the encounter that Fromm advocated.
- Describe Lear’s expression of compassion for “poor naked wretches.”
March 3
- Describe Fromm’s conception of the stranger in oneself.
- Explain Fromm’s conception of how we can understand the “otherness” in another person.
- Discuss how the attitude toward the stranger affects Shakespeare’s conception of justice in “Measure for Measure.”
April 7
- Compare Fromm’s concept of sadism with other human motives, such as aggression.
- Critique Fromm’s conception of sadistic impulses with Freud’s conception of “instinctual drives.”
- Describe the expression of sadism in Shakespeare’s “King Lear.”
May 5
- Describe the bases of Fromm’s pessimistic and optimistic predictions of the future.
- Compare Fromm’s view of “active hope” with his view of “passive hope.”
- Explain Shakespeare’s dark view of aging, as expressed in “Measure for Measure.”
Timeline and Requirements:
The course will take place on the first Monday of each month from January 6, 2025 - May 5, 2025. This workshop is presenter-led and is a fully online experience. This will be conducted synchronously online via Zoom from 7:00 - 8:30 pm (ET).
CE Sponsorship:
This lecture does not offer CEs for other clinicians not listed below, and we only grant CEs for synchronous attendance of events. Participants must attend the workshop in full and complete the post event survey to be eligible to receive CEs.
University Counseling Services of Boston College is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. As a co-sponsor of this program, University Counseling Services of Boston College maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Participants will be eligible to receive 7.5 CE units from University Counseling Services of Boston College.
This program has been approved for 7.5 Social Work Continuing Education hours for relicensure, in accordance with 258 CMR. NASW-MA Chapter CE Approval Program Authorization Number D 92910-1
The Lynch School of Education and Human Development is providing sponsorship for CEUs for Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHC). Participants will be eligible to receive 7.5 CE units. These credits are accepted by the Massachusetts Board of Registration for Licensed Mental Health Counselors (Category I contact hours in Content Area I).
Conflict of Interest Notification
A potential conflict of interest, commercial support, and/or commercial interest applies to sponsoring organizations, the presenter, and the content of the presentation. Participants are advised that the presenter's books are listed on the promotional materials and will be referenced in the professional development. Thus, there are potential biases inherent in accepting inducements that might affect the selection of texts, the use of particular tests, and/or sponsorship of CE courses. During this program, Dr. Sandra Buechler will discuss the utility/validity of the content/approach offered as well as the limitations of the approach and the most common (and severe) risks, if any exist.
Fees & Policies:
Payment is due by credit card at registration. Refunds will be granted only up until registration closes at 7pm on January 6, 2025. No refunds will be granted for errors on the participant's part (such as incorrect name/email upon registration, login failure, scheduling conflicts, etc.).
This workshop is made possible through the support of Grant 62632 from the John Templeton Foundation. The opinions expressed by these presenters do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation.
We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals to engage fully. If you need to request an accommodation or ask a question about accessibility, please contact lynchschoolpce@bc.edu.
Additional offerings from the Lynch School Professional & Continuing Education Office can be found on our website.