Impulse is a community newsletter produced by the Northern California Society for Psychoanalytic Psychology (NCSPP) and distributed electronically to subscribers at no cost. We envision Impulse as an integrative source for local news, events, and thinking of interest to the psychoanalytically inclined. Our goal is to be your guide as you explore the Bay Area's rich array of analytic resources.
We invite you to become a member of NCSPP, if you are not already. And, we welcome you as a subscriber to Impulse. Join us as we highlight the exceptional diversity of psychoanalytic thought and practice in Northern California.
by Natasha Oxenburgh, MA
Note from Luba Palter, Editor-in-Chief:
NCSPP Board members are taking turns contributing to President’s Remarks for the rest of this year. Natasha Oxenburgh, MA is the Chair of the Education Committee.
We have an eclectic array of programming coming up this Fall 2025, spanning formats and focal points, all designed to invite clinicians into deeper inquiry, community, and reflection.
In September, we launch our year-long Intensive Study Group (ISG), “On Perversion,” led by Janie Riley, LMFT, Daniel Butler, Ph.D., LMFT, Michael Levin, Psy.D., and Sydney Tan, Psy.D.
by San Francisco Center for Psychoanalysis (SFCP)
SFCP PRESENTS: THE SEASONED CLINICIANS PROGRAM: 2025-2026
Clinical case conference for psychoanalytically-oriented clinicians practicing individual psychotherapy a minimum of 20 years.
Wednesdays from 12 pm - 1:30 pm (10/15/25 - 5/27/26) | Zoom | Tuition: $910
For more information visit www.sfcp.org/seasoned-clinicians-program/
Any questions, contact Nicole Lee at office@sfcp.org.
by Christi Baker, AMFT
PROTEST
As mass protests against the unjust Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids persist in Los Angeles - and spark similar actions in other cities - I find myself reflecting on the meaning of protest within both clinical and social spaces.
Protest, on any level, is an active stance. It is what individuals or communities do to express strong objections. Protest is a verb, a pulse. It lives in the body, in the breath, in relationships, and in the streets. It is a refusal that speaks through words or movements. It is visible disapproval, resistance embodied. To protest is to step out of line and dare to draw another. By nature, protest generates friction, often against the status quo and the mechanisms of power.
Protest can take many shapes—spoken or enacted, loud and unmistakable, or quiet and subtle. It can roar or whisper. Even the smallest protest, “no,” carries weight. But saying “no” isn’t rolled into Los Angeles at the President’s command.
by Education Committee
NCSPP is currently accepting course proposals for Spring 2026, Fall 2026, and Spring 2027. We welcome offerings that reflect the depth of contemporary psychoanalytic thinking and the diversity of therapists and patients. Courses may be geared to clinicians across levels of experience and training.
We encourage proposals that engage current sociopolitical and climate realities, integrate intersectional and sociocultural perspectives, or offer fresh approaches to psychoanalytic practice. Topics such as supervision, suicide prevention, legal/ethical issues, and culturally-responsive care are also in high demand for CE credit.
CIP Hiring Assistant Clinical Director / Doctoral Director (San Rafael)
Community Institute for Psychotherapy is seeking a licensed psychologist to oversee training and provide supervision in our long-standing community mental health program. ~25 hrs/week, hybrid schedule. Apply here: https://app.hiremojo.com/mojo/ce/505999942