Opifer
Encyclopedia
OPIFER is a psychoanalytic association founded in Italy on November 4, 1996, now counting about 150 members.
, Kleinian
, relational
, interpersonal, and even Lacanian or Jungian analysts actually coexist and discuss together, all of them aiming at encouraging a pluralistic approach, which welcomes the dialogue among different positions and rejects any dogmatic attitude. The "founding father" of this undertaking was Marco Bacciagaluppi (Milan), who has also been its first President, succeeded by Sergio Dazzi (Parma), and Sergio Caruso (Florence).
The name OPIFER is both an acronym (Organizzazione di Psicoanalisti Italiani Federazione e Registro, i.e. Organization of Italian Psychoanalysts Federation and Roster), and a Latin word meaning "he who helps". "Opifer" was in fact the classic appellation of Asclepius
, the Greek god of medicine, when he appeared in the dreams of suffering people to bring them relief (Ovidius, Metamorphoseon L. XV: 653). Coherently with this name, OPIFER stresses the therapeutic function of psychoanalysis, as well as the opportuneness to host classic psychoanalysis and all psychoanalytically oriented psychotherapies under the same roof, in constant dialogue with clinical psychology
and dynamic psychiatry
.
), which was founded on the same principles many years before, in 1956. In fact the two Associations keep fraternal relationships, and organize a Joint Meeting "in the footsteps of Silvano Arieti
" (the Italo-American famous psychiatrist and psychoanalyst) every year, some of them published. Unlike AAPDP, however, OPIFER is not only an association of individuals: it is also, and mainly works as a federation, i.e. a national association of various associations locally based in different Italian towns, each keeping and maintaining its theoretical orientation and training peculiarities, but all of them willing to cooperate.
The Italian Associations federated with OPIFER (four at the moment when it was founded, in 1996) are now ten, whereof three have also membership in the IFPS (International Federation of Psychoanalytic Societies). Other scientific societies with which OPIFER has institutional ties of partnership are the "Erich Fromm
" International Society, based in Tuebingen, Germany, and the "Silvano Arieti
" Foundation, based in Pisa, Italy.
Philosophy
The members follow various orientations, and OPIFER is perhaps the only psychoanalytic association in Europe wherein Freudian, Neo-FreudianNeo-Freudian
The Neo-Freudian psychiatrists and psychologists were a group of loosely linked American theorists of the mid-twentieth century, who were all influenced by Sigmund Freud, but who extended his theories, often in social or cultural directions...
, Kleinian
Melanie Klein
Melanie Reizes Klein was an Austrian-born British psychoanalyst who devised novel therapeutic techniques for children that had an impact on child psychology and contemporary psychoanalysis...
, relational
Relational psychoanalysis
Relational psychoanalysis is a school of psychoanalysis in the United States that emphasizes the role of real and imagined relationships with others in mental disorder and psychotherapy...
, interpersonal, and even Lacanian or Jungian analysts actually coexist and discuss together, all of them aiming at encouraging a pluralistic approach, which welcomes the dialogue among different positions and rejects any dogmatic attitude. The "founding father" of this undertaking was Marco Bacciagaluppi (Milan), who has also been its first President, succeeded by Sergio Dazzi (Parma), and Sergio Caruso (Florence).
The name OPIFER is both an acronym (Organizzazione di Psicoanalisti Italiani Federazione e Registro, i.e. Organization of Italian Psychoanalysts Federation and Roster), and a Latin word meaning "he who helps". "Opifer" was in fact the classic appellation of Asclepius
Asclepius
Asclepius is the God of Medicine and Healing in ancient Greek religion. Asclepius represents the healing aspect of the medical arts; his daughters are Hygieia , Iaso , Aceso , Aglæa/Ægle , and Panacea...
, the Greek god of medicine, when he appeared in the dreams of suffering people to bring them relief (Ovidius, Metamorphoseon L. XV: 653). Coherently with this name, OPIFER stresses the therapeutic function of psychoanalysis, as well as the opportuneness to host classic psychoanalysis and all psychoanalytically oriented psychotherapies under the same roof, in constant dialogue with clinical psychology
Clinical psychology
Clinical psychology is an integration of science, theory and clinical knowledge for the purpose of understanding, preventing, and relieving psychologically-based distress or dysfunction and to promote subjective well-being and personal development...
and dynamic psychiatry
Dynamic psychiatry
Dynamic psychiatry is that which is based on the study of emotional processes, their origins, and the mental mechanisms underlying them, rather than observable behavioral phenomena, in contrast with descriptive psychiatry which is based on the study of observable symptoms and behavioral phenomena...
.
Related Societies
The statute is in a way inspired by that of the AAPDP (American Academy of Psychoanalysis and Dynamic PsychiatryAmerican Academy of Psychoanalysis and Dynamic Psychiatry
The American Academy of Psychoanalysis and Dynamic Psychiatry is a forum for physician psychoanalysts and psychodynamic psychiatrists to exchange ideas, find a voice within the American Psychoanalytic Association to advocate psychodynamic understanding in the evaluation and treatment of patients,...
), which was founded on the same principles many years before, in 1956. In fact the two Associations keep fraternal relationships, and organize a Joint Meeting "in the footsteps of Silvano Arieti
Silvano Arieti
Silvano Arieti was a psychiatrist regarded in his time as one of the world’s foremost authorities on schizophrenia. He received his M.D. from the University of Pisa but left Italy soon after because of Benito Mussolini's increasingly racial policies...
" (the Italo-American famous psychiatrist and psychoanalyst) every year, some of them published. Unlike AAPDP, however, OPIFER is not only an association of individuals: it is also, and mainly works as a federation, i.e. a national association of various associations locally based in different Italian towns, each keeping and maintaining its theoretical orientation and training peculiarities, but all of them willing to cooperate.
The Italian Associations federated with OPIFER (four at the moment when it was founded, in 1996) are now ten, whereof three have also membership in the IFPS (International Federation of Psychoanalytic Societies). Other scientific societies with which OPIFER has institutional ties of partnership are the "Erich Fromm
Erich Fromm
Erich Seligmann Fromm was a Jewish German-American social psychologist, psychoanalyst, sociologist, humanistic philosopher, and democratic socialist. He was associated with what became known as the Frankfurt School of critical theory.-Life:Erich Fromm was born on March 23, 1900, at Frankfurt am...
" International Society, based in Tuebingen, Germany, and the "Silvano Arieti
Silvano Arieti
Silvano Arieti was a psychiatrist regarded in his time as one of the world’s foremost authorities on schizophrenia. He received his M.D. from the University of Pisa but left Italy soon after because of Benito Mussolini's increasingly racial policies...
" Foundation, based in Pisa, Italy.