Which Theories and Conceptions Do Psychoanalysts and Psychoanalytic Psychotherapists Consider Helpful in Their Practice During the Covid-19 Pandemic Unfolding in Ukraine?

Abstract

This paper presents the results of an anonymous survey of psychoanalysts and psychoanalytic psychotherapists (n=71) from different institutions, associations, and theoretical schools, which was conducted online after a month of lockdown in Ukraine due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the survey, one-third of the respondents adhered to their usual psychoanalytic theories and conceptions for reflecting on the phenomena they observed during the pandemic unfolding. Two-thirds of the practitioners admitted that they had been focusing or shifting toward certain conceptions in their theoretical thinking more than they used to. These theories were referring to the following two main issues: (1) how the psychic response to the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine in each particular case can be explained and theorized on, and (2) how a psychoanalyst can deal with it through his or her own analytic stance and interventions. Practitioners tended to refer to the theoretical viewpoints of "Classic psychoanalysis", "Object relations", and the variety of particular one-time-mentioned theories of mourning, anxiety, trauma, defense mechanisms, manifestation of neurotic conflicts, Self issues, complexes, early traumatic experience, etc.

Psychoanalysis and Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy in Ukraine During the Covid-19 Pandemic Unfolding: The Results of Practitioners’ Survey

“…From the beginning of the pandemic, psychoanalysts have been actively discussing the observed impact of the novel coronavirus, along with governmental policies and imposed quarantines, on the personal and social life of a patient -not only in the form of ISSN 2414-0023 (Print) ISSN 2414-004X (Online) DOI (Issue): https://doi.org/10.31108/1.2021.7.1 published works (i.e., in journals) but also in short essays on social media, personal blogs, online-seminars and in private conversations. In Ukraine, two-thirds of the surveyed psychoanalysts and psychoanalytic psychotherapists admitted that due to the COVID-19 pandemic unfolding they had been searching for relevant theoretical conceptions related to (a) individual psychic response to the pandemic and lockdown, (b) social or psychic response, (c) ways to keep psychoanalytic stance, (d) particular issues of patients manifested due to the COVID-19 crisis, (e) certain interventions, including non-analytic (Velykodna, Tsyhanenko, 2020).…”