Ajoutez un logo, un bouton, des réseaux sociaux
As Italy poised to vote on the Ossicini Law in the late 1980s, suddenly challenging the legitimacy of psychoanalytic practice, a diverse group of psychoanalysts came together to form an association dedicated to defending secular psychoanalysis.
Originally named the "European Association of Psychoanalysis" at the dawn of the new millennium, this association had the privilege of counting among its founders eminent figures with diverse professional backgrounds: Thomas Szasz, the American psychiatrist behind anti-psychiatry; Lucien Lévy, psychiatrist and founder of the European Interdisciplinary Academy of Sciences; Loren Mosher, supervisor of the renowned SOTERIA project; Giorgio Antonucci, who laid the groundwork for an alternative approach to traditional psychiatry for treating psychological suffering; Michel Cazenave, renowned philosopher and translator of Carl Gustav Jung's work; and Jean-Luc Maxence, a psychoanalyst who served as head of the DIDRO center.
The union of these vibrant forces manifested as an exceptional display of determination in the face of impending challenges. Through the association, these scholars worked in harmony to preserve the integrity and future of psychoanalysis, becoming guardians of the secular foundations of the science of the unconscious, this profoundly complex discipline.
To raise awareness about the risks of marginalizing psychoanalytic practice in favor of purely functional and generalized approaches, a series of significant cultural events was orchestrated. Born in Italy and expanding into France, the "Festival Psy" brought together remarkable figures such as ecopsychologist Mohamed Taleb, philosophers Jean-Louis Bischoff-Campana and Jean Staune, sociologist Michel Maffesoli, and psychoanalysts Serge Tisseron, Daniel Sibony, and Jacques Lesage de La Haye.
These cultural gatherings, fueled by passionate exploration of the unconscious, were venues for profound and enlightening discussions, amplifying voices dedicated to preserving a more humane approach to mental healthcare. The reflections and ideas that emerged continue to shed light on the crucial balance between systemic demands and the consideration of plural subjectivities, while emphasizing the importance of the unconscious as an essential domain of human experience.
In 2017, the Association of European Psychoanalysts (APE) embarked on a profound overhaul of its educational path, guided by the visionary spirit of its late distinguished member, Pierre Clavilier. At this decisive turning point in its history, the APE equipped itself with an invaluable tool: the Paris Seminar convened a distinguished panel of experts, including analysts, writers, academics, physicians, and even poets, all gathered to share their profound understanding of the unconscious with association members. From these intellectual encounters followed by dinners emerged many open and enriching discussions.
Pierre Clavilier, an emblematic figure of the APE, was also distinguished by his unwavering commitment to the education and democratization of psychoanalysis. In this spirit, the association has chosen to adapt consultation fees to patients' incomes. This innovative initiative aimed to make psychoanalysis accessible to the most vulnerable, the most modest, the most marginalized, thereby asserting the importance of a dimension of social justice in the practice of analysis.
More recently, global restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic forced the APE to innovate further. Faced with the health crisis, the association adapted its Seminar to the widely prevalent format of video conferencing, making it accessible everywhere and to everyone.
Building on these changes, the APE inaugurated the Solidarity Clinic. The intention is a commitment: to democratize psychoanalysis in practice, making it accessible to those in need. An equitable barter system allows members who wish to undergo analysis in exchange for skills or services, a poignant example of solidarity in action.
In 2021, Thibault Velez, a psychoanalyst and pedagogy engineer member of the APE, had the audacious inspiration to propose the creation of a diploma, a master's degree in psychoanalysis. Its implementation marks the most recent turning point in the association's history, reinforcing educational intent with the aim of providing structured and quality education in psychoanalysis.