RU6: STEVEN REISNER ON THE DANCE OF THE OCCULT & UNCONSCIOUS IN FREUD
Rendering Unconscious episode 6.
This episode now available at Rendering Unconscious at Substack.
This episode of Rendering Unconscious is a lecture by Dr. Steven Reisner “On the Dance of Occult and Unconscious in Freud” given at Morbid Anatomy Museum, NYC, October 2016, as part of a lecture series hosted by Dr. Vanessa Sinclair on Psychoanalysis, Art & the Occult. This talk was also presented at a conference on the intersections of Psychoanalysis, Art & the Occult held in London, May 2016. For a book of collected papers from this conference check out The Fenris Wolf, vol 9 edited by Carl Abrahamsson and Vanessa Sinclair.
In this lecture, Dr. Reisner explores Freud’s interest in the occult and its implications for psychoanalytic theory. Reisner argues that Freud’s curiosity extended beyond sexuality to include phenomena beyond sensory perception. He discusses Freud’s experiments with telepathy and thought transference, emphasizing the importance of integrating denied knowledge. Reisner also highlights Freud’s cautious approach to disseminating such knowledge, balancing scientific rigor with public perception. Additionally, Reisner links Freud’s theories to contemporary issues like resistance to knowledge and the impact of narcissistic or traumatized parents on their children’s sensitivity to occult phenomena.
Steven Reisner, PhD is a psychoanalyst and political activist in New York. He is a founding member of the Coalition for an Ethical Psychology, Advisor on Psychology and Ethics for Physicians for Human Rights and past-President of Psychologists for Social Responsibility. He was a leader in the successful movement to prohibit psychologists from their central role in CIA and military abuses of detainees. As a result of these efforts, psychologists were removed from Guantanamo Bay in January 2016.
Rendering Unconscious is a podcast hosted by Dr. Vanessa Sinclair, a psychoanalyst based in Sweden, who works with people internationally.
Dr. Sinclair interviews psychoanalysts, psychologists, philosophers, creative arts therapists, social workers, artists, poets, writers, scholars and other clinicians and intellectuals about their process, work, current events, activism, mental health care, diverse theoretical lenses and various worldviews. Episodes also include lectures given and recorded at various events hosted internationally.
The song at the end of the episode is Aurora Analysts. Words by Vanessa Sinclair. Music by Liza Beth Paap. From the album Message 23 available from Swedish indie label Highbrow-Lowlife.
Intro and outro music for Rendering Unconscious Podcast by Carl Abrahamsson.
