This insightful and innovative book sheds light on the complexity of the concept of guilt, while exploring aspects of guilt that have previously been overlooked in psychoanalytic theory and discourse.

Offering original insights on the topic, Donald Carveth looks at Freud’s failure to distinguish persecutory guilt from reparative guilt, and the superego from the conscience. The significance of these distinctions for both psychosocial theory and clinical practice is explored throughout the volume. Carveth distinguishes varieties of punitive guilt, such as justified, unjustified, “borrowed” or induced, existential and collective. He expertly describes patterns of self-punishment and self-sabotage, while also addressing the widespread use of persecutory guilt and self-punishment as a defence against and evasion of reparative guilt, contrition, and reparation. Throughout the volume, Carveth critically reviews a range of recent contributions to psychoanalytic literature to support his theories. Participants should obtain a copy of the book.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Distinguish persecutory guilt from reparative guilt.
2. Distinguish conscience from superego.
3. Explore conflict between conscience and super ego.
4. Study the motives and varieties of guilt evasion.

Donald L. Carveth PhD, RP, FIPA

Donald L. Carveth PhD, RP, FIPA is an Emeritus Professor of Sociology and Social & Political Thought and Senior Scholar at York University, Glendon College, in Toronto; a Registered Psychotherapist; a training and supervising psychoanalyst in the Canadian Institute of Psychoanalysis (IPA); and former Director of the Toronto Institute of Psychoanalysis. He maintains a private practice of psychoanalysis, analytic psychotherapy, and supervision in central Toronto. Although deeply familiar with the perspectives of all the major psychoanalytic authors his orientation is fundamentally that of a Freudian informed by the Kleinian development of Freud’s theory and technique.  Member TPS&I.

Elena Reshetnikova BA, BCL, LLB

Elena Reshetnikova BA, BCL, LLB is a lawyer and mediator with over 20 years of experience in managing complex negotiations and dispute resolution. In the past 10 years, Elena has been an ardent student of psychotherapy, psychoanalysis and neuro-psychoanalysis, training at four psychotherapeutic programs in Canada and internationally, and is currently completing her clinical work with patients at the Toronto Institute of Psychoanalysis.