In the developmental trajectory of life, inevitable experiences of being hurt by others and of hurting them generate “revenge and atonement narratives”: powerful, enduring, and determinative responses to mutually inflicted pain. Profound unconscious factors often load such narratives with idiosyncratic self-deceptive meaning, sometimes elaborating the narratives into character-disordering or symptomatic expression. Unexamined, such narratives can impede better intrapsychic and relational conflict resolution, including forgiveness. I emphasize the value of a constructivist approach to these issues. My discussion considers the contributions of Heinrich Racker and Jessica Benjamin, with examples from literary greats Herman Melville and Fyodor Dostoyevsky.

Learning Objectives
Participants will be able:
1. To better understand the psychodynamics of revenge and atonement.
2. To consider the similarity between revenge and atonement.
3. To explore the relevance of forgiveness.

References
1. Benjamin, J. (2004) “Beyond doer and done to: An intersubjective view of thirdness”. Psychoanalytic Quarterly 73:5-43.
2. Rosen, I. (2007) “Revenge – the hate that dare not speak its name”. JAPA 55:595-620.
3. Rosen, I. (2009) “The Atonement-Forgiveness Dyad: Identification with the aggressed”. Psychoanalytic Inquiry 29:411-425.

Speakers
Irwin C. Rosen, PhD – Training and Supervising Analyst, The Greater Kansas City Psychoanalytic Institute
Alfred S. Margulies, MD – Training and Supervising Analyst, Psychoanalytic Institute of New England, East; Associate Chair, Department of Psychiatry, The Cambridge Health Alliance; Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
Janet Noonan, LICSW – Member, Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute; Faculty and Supervisor, Advanced Training Program in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy; Private Practice, Boston, MA
Ellen Pinsky, PsyD – Faculty, Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute; Editorial Board, Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association; Private Practice, Cambridge, MA

Continuing Education
Physicians This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and Policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint sponsorship of the American Psychoanalytic Association and the Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute. The American Psychoanalytic Association is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians and takes responsibility for the content, quality, and scientific integrity of this CME activity. The American Psychoanalytic Association designates this educational activity for a maximum of 3 hours in category 1 credit towards the AMA Physician’s Recognition Award. Each physician should claim only those hours of credit that he/she actually spent in the educational activity. IMPORTANT DISCLOSURE INFORMATION FOR ALL LEARNERS: None of the planners and presenters of this CME program have any relevant financial relationships to disclose. Psychologists The Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute maintains responsibility for this program and its content. This program fulfills the requirements for 3 hours of CE. Social Workers Please contact the Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute’s Administrative Office at 617/266-0953 or office@bostonpsychoanalytic.org for more information.