Object a: Lacan’s Key Contribution to Psychoanalysis
Bruce Fink

Hybrid Seminar: Online | In-Person in Paris

Duration: 2 days
Dates: March 6-7, 2027

The Analytic Forum is delighted to welcome participants to an intensive two-day seminar in Paris with renowned psychoanalyst Bruce Fink. This seminar will be devoted to one of Jacques Lacan’s most original and consequential concepts: object a.

Across twelve hours of teaching, Fink will explore the place of the object in Lacan’s theory and its implications for psychoanalytic practice, examining its relationship to desire, fantasy, anxiety, and the analytic process.

Join us in person at the beautiful venue Metafore in central Paris for a weekend of rigorous study and lively collegial exchange. Online participation is also possible.

Registration is open and in-person places are strictly limited. Early bird fee currently available.

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Upcoming Courses & Seminars

Psychoanalysis and Racism
Derek Hook

Online Seminar

Duration: 8 weeks
Dates: October 10–December 5, 2026

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Perversion
Stephanie Swales & Derek Hook

Online Seminar

Duration: 8 weeks
Dates: January 9–February 27, 2027

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The Later Lacan
Samuel McCormick

Online Seminar

Duration: 8 weeks
Dates: April 3—June 5, 2027

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Introduction to Psychoanalysis
Jason Childs & Derek Hook

Online Seminar

Duration: 8 weeks
Dates: April 3—June 5, 2027

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Diagnosis & Technique
Jason Childs & Derek Hook

Online Seminar

Duration: 18 weeks
Dates: August 14—December 18, 2027

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Psychosis in Lacan’s Teaching
Stijn Vanheule

Online Seminar

Duration: 8 weeks
Dates: October 28–December 16, 2027

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The Analytic Forum is an international space for education and exchange in the theory and practice of Freudian–Lacanian psychoanalysis.

We offer a programme of clinical and theoretical seminars, courses, and public lectures for clinicians, students, and anyone with a serious interest in psychoanalysis.

We also offer a range of opportunities for clinical supervision, consultation, and group study.

You can read more about our approach here and learn more about our faculty here.

  • The lectures were beautifully crafted, thorough and thought provoking. The dialogue between participants and presenters always exceeded the margins and enriched my understanding of the concepts under discussion. This course has noticeably shifted my perspective in clinical practice and increased my appetite for further study in the area.

    — Carla Gaskin Charles, Clinical Psychologist

  • This course does an outstanding job of presenting the complex ideas of Freud and Lacan in a clear, engaging, and highly accessible way. Dr Childs and Dr Hook are exceptional communicators whose insightful and enthusiastic teaching makes challenging concepts easy to understand, resulting in a truly rewarding learning experience!

    —Yasmin Kim, Student, Loyola Marymount University

  • The introductory class on Freudian-Lacanian psychoanalysis was a game changer for me. It brought together key concepts into a coherent whole, something that I was unable to achieve having read Freud/Lacan mostly on my own. Thanks to the readings, lectures, and class discussions, my understanding of psychoanalytic theory is much more comprehensive and organized. I am now confident that I’m using their central concepts correctly in my research.

    — Derek S. Merrill, Professor at University of California, Merced

  • Jason and Derek are fantastic lecturers with a wealth of knowledge. They are very engaging and make Lacanian concepts accessible through their well-structured lectures and group discussions. The taught sessions were the highlight of my week. They always made me think, challenged my own ideas, and I feel extremely motivated to take things further. I would thoroughly recommend ‘An Introduction to Freudian-Lacanian Psychoanalysis’!

    —Dr Chris Howard, University of Derby

  • I thoroughly enjoyed and benefited from taking ‘An Introduction to Freudian-Lacanian Psychoanalysis’ with Jason Childs and Derek Hook. It’s been hard to find a “beginner” class on Lacan, and my instinct that Jason and Derek could do this well was correct. They curated good readings (there’s so much out there) of articles and book chapters. Best of all was that Jason and Derek gave smart lectures with enthusiasm and then really energetically engaged with persons in the class who had questions or comments about the lecture and readings. The course was challenging and fun. Past attempts to understand Lacan at various lectures would often leave me confused. This course left me less confused and excited to keep learning.

    —Dru Orenstein, Psychoanalyst

  • This course was a very engaging and detailed introduction to Freudian-Lacanian psychoanalysis. Dr Childs and Dr Hook consistently provided compelling lectures and facilitated lively group discussions, which greatly helped my growing sense of understanding of Lacanian theory. I highly recommend this course to clinicians and anyone curious about Freud, Lacan, and present day psychoanalytic practice.

    —Dr Victoria Martin, Clinical Psychologist

  • The seminar has been an enlivening experience that is inspired and challenging in both scope and content. In terms of teaching, this was engaging and refreshing, accessible but not in a way that reduced complexity or nuance. The seminar format allowed space for a structured presentation, with room for many questions, dialogue, and participant presentations. Attending the seminar has contributed to more creative, explorative, and nuanced clinical thinking and has been a most welcome counterpoint to the world of conventional contemporary therapies.

    —Sasa Stojovic, Psychotherapist

  • Thank you to Derek and Jason for organizing such a wonderful introductory course. It's hard to overstate how helpful a structured classroom environment can be for a young learner attempting to navigate a notoriously dense field. As someone offered little opportunity for discussion in my immediate circles, this was an indispensable course that pushed me to think about psychoanalysis through new and welcome perspectives. I look forward to the next time I can study under such thoughtful teachers.

    —Nathaniel Ross, Student

  • I thoroughly enjoyed ‘An Introduction to Freudian-Lacanian Psychoanalysis’. It was an exceptionally insightful and well-structured course. I truly appreciated the valuable guidance and discussions from both Jason and Derek throughout the sessions.

    —Pham Hoang Long, Student

  • Like many other students of psychoanalysis, I have had a tough time understanding Lacan. Mainstream psychoanalytic training has been inaccessible to me—sometimes financially, sometimes geographically and sometimes due to discrimination. However, my curiosity about what it has to offer for clinical and cultural purposes led me to seek out courses like these. Jason and Derek taught with such passion and detail, with an equal balance of theory and practice related examples, that it was really easy for me to follow. I would highly recommend ‘An Introduction to Freudian-Lacanian Psychoanalysis’ to both beginner and advanced clinicians who are unacquainted with Freud and Lacan's convergences and differences in theory and technique.

    —Sadaf Arafati, Student

  • Derek and Jason's ‘Lacanian Diagnostic Structures and Clinical Technique’ seminar has provided a wonderfully comprehensive overview of the subjective clinical structures (neurosis, psychosis, and perversion) that Lacan develops in his work. The lectures are clear, thorough, and precise while still orienting participants to the wide array of details that may inform a structural diagnosis and, consequently, appropriate analytic techniques. The course's mix of lecture, discussion, and case presentations allows for participants to both apply the material to their clinical practice and develop questions for further learning and research. In my own practice, I find that I am listening and intervening differently—in a more targeted, specific manner—as a result of taking this course. Thank you, Derek and Jason, for a wonderful experience and I hope to continue learning from you in the future!

    —Dr Eleanor Harrison, Clinical Psychologist

  • I came to the seminar on diagnostic structure with some hesitation, unsure how clinically useful it would be, and was surprised by how valuable I ultimately found it. The seminar clarified how the Lacanian diagnostic categories of neurosis, psychosis, and perversion illuminate the subject's existential question, the distinct mode of negation, the characteristic defenses and the subjective relation to the Other and jouissance. Each module incorporated discussion of participants clinical case material, allowing theory to come alive while demonstrating the diagnostic framework's value for guiding interventions. Jason and Derek conveyed complex material with clarity while fostering a warm, intellectually generous learning environment. I left the seminar with a renewed appreciation for the practical power of Lacanian diagnosis and I wholeheartedly recommend it to both novice and experienced clinicians!

    —Dr Sharon R. Green, Psychoanalyst and Psychotherapist

Advanced Clinical Study Group

The Advanced Clinical Study Group (ACSG) is an ongoing small-group programme for clinicians and advanced students seeking to deepen their psychoanalytic thinking through close engagement with theory alongside contemporary and historical cases. Facilitated by the directors of The Analytic Forum, it operates beyond a set curriculum, reflecting the developing clinical concerns and research interests of its members. The group offers a rigorous and lively space for sustained study, discussion, and the development of analytic ways of working. Participation is by invitation or by application.

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