Le Corbeau (lit. The Raven) is a 1943 French film directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot. The film is about a small town where several citizens receive anonymous letters containing libelous information. The mystery surrounding the letters eventually escalates into violence. This film is discussed within the context of the historical events surrounding this film. The plot helps us focus on the theme of group dynamics in a society under stress. Can a sinister letter in the 1940’s be compared to Instagram shaming in the year 2018?

Learning Objectives

As a result of attending this course, participants should be able to: 

• Describe our role as non-partisan healers in an era of societal stress and trauma and paranoia

• Apply the content of this film to help deepen our understanding of perversion according to Meltzer‘s elegant theory

• Explain our psychoanalytic awareness of the power of unconscious murderous aggression, both turned inward to suicide and self-sabotage and outward to murder

Elena Balashova-Shamis, PsyD, is an advanced psychoanalytic candidate at the New Center for Psychoanalysis (NCP) in both the adult and child programs. She maintains a private practice in West Los Angeles. She is a faculty member at NCP, LAISPS, UCLA and Ryokan College, and also works as a dissertation advisor. She presents seminars and workshops on various topics in psychoanalysis, sexuality, and child development. She has been recently published in JAPA (October, 2017).

Deborah Lynn, MD, is a board-certified child and adolescent psychiatrist and general psychiatrist, and a psychoanalytic candidate at the New Center for Psychoanalysis. She is in private practice in Westwood and a member of the volunteer clinical faculty at UCLA, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Target audience: Open to the public but mainly for mental health professionals

Level: Every Level

CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDIT

IMPORTANT DISCLOSURE INFORMATION FOR ALL LEARNERS: None of the planners and presenters of this CME/CE program have any relevant financial relationships to disclose.

PHYSICIANS: This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of the American Psychoanalytic Association and the New Center for Psychoanalysis. The American Psychoanalytic Association is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The American Psychoanalytic Association designates this Live Activity for the maximum number of 2.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

PSYCHOLOGISTS: The New Center for Psychoanalysis is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. New Center for Psychoanalysis maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Full attendance is required for psychologists to receive credit; partial credit may not be awarded based on APA guidelines. For the psychologists’ records, certificates of attendance are provided at the completion of the course.

SOCIAL WORKERS, MARRIAGE & FAMILY THERAPISTS (LCSW, LMFT, ASW, IMF, LEP, LPCC, PCCI) The New Center for Psychoanalysis is a continuing education provider that has been approved by the American Psychological Association, a California Board of Behavioral Sciences recognized approval agency.

REGISTERED NURSES: The New Center for Psychoanalysis is an accredited provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing (Provider #CEP1112). Registered Nurses may claim only the actual number of hours spent in the educational activity for credit.