When Empathy Becomes Defense:
Personal History as an Empathic Seduction
April 25, 2026
12:00 – 2:00 PM Eastern Time
Graduate Analysts & Psychotherapists – $75.00
Candidates & Students – $40.00
Register Here
Overview:
This webinar explores the concept of empathy through a psychoanalytic lens, examining its historical development, clinical meanings, and practical applications in therapeutic work. Drawing on theoretical discussion and clinical vignettes from adult and child analysis, the presentation highlights ways in which empathy can deepen clinical understanding, while also addressing common misuses and pitfalls. The webinar will enhance participants’ ability to think about and apply the concept of empathy with greater nuance.
Presenters:
Lee Ascherman, MD; Dionne Powell, MD; Ira Moses, PhD, ABPsa
Objectives:
- Explain how the notion of empathic responding can be used defensively in the course of an analytic process.
- Explain two contrasting views of the concept of empathy within contemporary psychoanalysis.
- Describe two potential misuses of the concept of empathy, and explain how each can be harmful rather than helpful to the patient.
