Publications
If you would like to obtain a copy of any article listed here that is not on the website, call or email me (212-253-2625 or vfrankfeldt1@gmail.com) with your request, and I will send it out to you.
"Psychoanalytic Supervision: The Sequential Resolution of Candidate and Patient Resistances," Annals of Modern Psychoanalysis. 1(2): 185-209, 2002.
This project focuses on three issues:
- the disguised expression of infantile, murderous rage by a preoedipal patient
- a beginning analyst's countertransference resistances to experiencing and verbalizing appropriately the patient’s hate and her own
- the resolution of resistances through supervision. While this patient typically generated particularly powerful negative reactions, ultimately her health, function in work, enjoyment of leisure time, and ability to relate to the analyst, family and friends, all improved dramatically.
A Case Dynamics Schema (CDS) was created specifically for this project to organize and follow the sequential flow of the patient resistances, countertransference resistances, supervisory interventions and new patient behaviors signifying resistance resolution.
“Complex Problems Require Complex Solutions: ‘Donnie: A Life Apart,’” in Harm reduction psychotherapy. A new treatment for drug and alcohol problems, ed. Andrew Tatarsky, Jason Aronson, NY, 2002.
The article chronicles the successful 6-year treatment of a poly-addicted, socially isolated young man who had been severely and repeatedly traumatized through abandonment, sexual and physical abuse and neglect during early childhood.
“Becoming Able to Feel Hate: The Treatment of a Psychotic, Somatizing Patient,” Modern Psychoanalysis, 15:63–78, 1990.
A study of the successful treatment of a severely disturbed homicidal and suicidal woman
“The Alcoholic's Self Destructiveness and the Therapist's Role in Mobilizing Survival Energies,” Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly, Summer, 1986.
The alcoholic is caught up in a life-threatening course of compulsive self destructive behavior which he is powerless to stop on his own. In this paper theories are advanced positing psychological and social forces predisposing the individual to have to hurt himself. It is therefore the therapist's job to represent life to the person, and to communicate it effectively. The paper describes how and why the therapist must creatively design interventions which will grab the patient's attention, and kindle an interest in living and behaving accordingly.
“The Compatibility of the Disease Concept with a Psychodynamic Approach in the Treatment of Alcoholism,” Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly, Spring, 1985.
Controversy exists regarding treatment approaches to alcoholism. The disease model or the psychodynamic model have been advocated as though they were mutually exclusive. This paper discusses how both can be utilized. The focus on alcoholism as a disease helps the patient to view his addiction as something to be arrested and managed, not understood/rationalized. However, psychodynamic formulations are necessary to develop an individualized treatment plan to resolve the patient's resistances to availing himself of the help Alcoholics Anonymous and alcoholism therapy have to offer. Some characteristic resistances, and techniques used to resolve them, are offered.
“Group Treatment of Substance Abusers in the Mental Health Service of a Health Maintenance Organization: Health Insurance Plan of Greater New York,” Chapter in Social Work in Health Settings: Practice in Context, ed. Toba Schwaber Kerson, Longman, Inc., 1982.
Seven substance abusing patients in differing stages of use and recovery were put into a time-limited therapy group. At the end of the group the two sober members of the group started using again, suggesting that such groups need to be more heavily weighted with recovering people or made heterogeneous in stages of recovery.
“How to Conduct an Alcoholism-Focused Intake: A Verbatim Illustration,” Social Work Treatment of Alcohol Problems, Monograph #5 of Treatment Series, Rutgers Center for Alcohol Studies, 1984.
Two verbatim intakes of the same patient are offered; one focusing on the patient's presenting problem of her troubled relationship with her husband and the other focused on the woman's drinking. The recordings show the efficacy of focusing on the drinking first to resolve the woman's problems.
“The Decision Group: A Technique for Beginning Treatment in an Alcoholism Clinic,” Health and Social Work, November, 1979.
The Decision Group was designed to fill the needs of individuals applying for treatment at an alcoholism outpatient clinic and to reduce time lost to the clinic as a result of broken appointments. The group succeeded in engaging patients in treatment, motivating them to accept identification as alcoholics, and maintaining high attendance. The author describes the group's accomplishments and suggests ways that future groups could avoid problems encountered in running the Decision Group .
“Social Workers as ‘Enablers’ in the Treatment of Alcoholics,” with S.L.A. Straussner, Social Casework, January, 1978.
Seeking underlying causes to explain the disease of alcoholism detracts from the treatment process and can enable continued drinking behavior.