Section VIII: Couple and Family Therapy and Psychoanalysis

Section VIII is dedicated to promoting the understanding and treatment of the psychological needs of couples and families, within a psychoanalytic framework. Our members seek to apply the theories and treatments of psychoanalysis to the problems encountered by families of every culture, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and religion.

We are also enlarging the scope and efficacy of psychoanalytic understanding by incorporating multiple treatment perspectives to fit the added complexity found when people are seen together. As part of the community of Div. 39, we hope to encourage active dialogue with our colleagues and to promote a broad understanding of couple and family issues for those clinicians working with individuals. Many of our members work with the larger community, in various outreach activities that address psychological and other needs, while embracing a psychoanalytic perspective.

Our newly designed website includes summaries of the listserv discussions of clinical issues (for members only). The public part of the website has information about the section, an alphabetical and geographical listing of members, and a membership application.

Section VIII Representative: Antonia Halton, PhD

Section Website  Join Section VIII

Section Publications

• We have a members-only listserv, where we discuss clinical issues, give and get referrals throughout the country, and share information.

• We publish a newsletter twice a year.

Section VIII Officers and Board of Directors

• President: Francine Godet, PsyD (2020-2021)

• President-Elect: Stephanie Manes, JD, LCSW (2020-2021)

• Past President: Phyllis Cohen, PsyD (2020-2021)

• Founding President: Mary-Joan Gerson, PhD

• Secretary: Roberta Caplan, PhD (2018-2020) 

• Treasurer: Sarah White, PsyD (2020-2021) 

• Representative to Division 39 Board: Antonia Halton, PhD (2018-2020)

Board of Representatives/Members-at-Large

• Noa Ashman, LCSW (2018-2020)

• Sarah Blair Jenkins, MSW (2019-2021)

• Sonia Kahn, PsyD (2019-2021)

• Ortal Kirson-Trilling, PsyD (2020-2021)

• Stacy Malin, PhD (2020-2021)

• Luis Eduardo Carneiro Nobrega, LLM, PsyD (2018-2020) 

• Sarah White, PsyD (2019-2021)

Standing Committees

• Finance: Sarah White, PsyD

• Nominations and Elections: Phyllis Cohen, PsyD, as past president

• Program: Francine Godet, PsyD, as president

Other Committees

• Children and the Family: Roanne K. Barnett, PhD

• Education and Training: Roberta Caplan, PhD

• Gerald Stechler Award: Francine Godet, PsyD

• Membership: Joyce Lowenstein, PhD

• International Affiliations: Mary-Joan Gerson, PhD

• Mentor Matching: Ortal Kirson-Trilling, PsyD

• Programming: Phyllis Cohen, PsyD    

• Publications: Susan Abelson, PhD

• Public Policy: Cindy Baum-Baicker, PhD

• Research: Francine Godet, PhD

• Scholar: Monique Bowen, PhD, and Luis Eduardo Carneiro Nobrega, LLM, PsyD

Other Responsibilities

• Technology (Listserv and Website): Sonia Kahn, PsyD

• Newsletter Committee: Email