The Other on the Couch: Working with Clashing Political Ideologies
The Other on the Couch: Working with Clashing Political Ideologies is a three-hour panel event examining how clinicians can maintain a steady therapeutic frame when therapist and patient hold conflicting political—or other deeply held—beliefs.
Matt Aibel, LCSW, will deliver the main presentation, and Richard Billow, PhD will provide commentary and discussion on two cases presentations. The panel will explore how political/ideological differences shape transference, countertransference, and the therapeutic alliance, while offering practical strategies for managing ideological tension without losing grounding in psychoanalytic principles.
A recent graduate and candidate will present two case studies—one from group therapy presented by Aisha Mabarak, LMHC and one from individual treatment presented by Alex Palmer, PhD—highlighting the complexities that arise when worldviews become central to the clinical encounter. The presenters and participants will reflect on how clinicians can listen deeply, think freely, and sustain analytic curiosity during moments of ideological rupture.
Workshop Information
Date
April 26, 2026
Time
10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Location
Online
CEUs
3 CE Contact Hours
Fee
$85 General Admission
$60 Derner Alum, Adelphi faculty/clinical supervisor, Non-Adelphi psychoanalytic Candidate/student
$30 Derner student/Postgraduate candidate
About the Speaker
Matt Aibel, LCSW
Faculty/Supervisor at National Institute for the Psychotherapies (NIP), Adelphi University’s Derner School of Psychology, Institute for Relational Psychoanalysis of Philadelphia, and a Russian Relational Study Group. Submissions Editor, Psychoanalytic Perspectives; Editor, The IARPP Bulletin; Board Member, IARPP. His writing has appeared in Contemporary Psychoanalysis, Psychoanalytic Inquiry, Psychoanalytic Perspectives, Attachment, and Inhabiting Implication in Racial Oppression and Relational Psychoanalysis (Routledge, 2022). He practices in Manhattan and remotely.
Richard Billow, PhD
Richard M. Billow, Ph.D. is the former director of Adelphi’s Postgraduate Group Program and currently serves as Clinical Professor in Adelphi’s Postgraduate Programs in Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy. He is the author of over 60 peer reviewed articles and five books, most recently Richard M. Billow’s Selected Papers on Psychoanalysis and Group Process: Changing Our Minds (T. Slonim, Ed., Routledge, 2021) and Psychoanalytic Group Psychotherapy: A Contemporary Introduction (Routledge Introductions to Contemporary Psychoanalysis, 2025). Recent papers include Opening Laplanche’s window: Transference-
Group Case Presentation
Aisha Mabarak, LMHC
Individual Case Presentation: Alex Palmer, PhD
Dr. Palmer is a clinical psychologist in private practice where he works with adults across the lifespan, with clinical interests including trauma, developmental and life stage challenges, relational dynamics, and neurodivergence issues. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Palmer teaches as an adjunct professor at Adelphi in the undergraduate and school psychology programs, and is the Assistant Clinic Director at the Postgraduate Psychotherapy Center at the Derner Institute. He is currently completing postdoctoral training in psychoanalysis and group psychotherapy.
Credentialing Information
Adelphi University is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Adelphi University maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Adelphi University, Derner School of Psychology, is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0024 and by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0607 and by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors #MHC-0185; for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0083; and for licensed psychoanalysts #P-0058.
Disclaimer Statement
This continuing education seminar, seminar instructor/s, and the Postgraduate Programs as the seminar’s sponsor, receive no commercial support for the content of instruction (e.g., research grants funding research findings etc.), or benefit for endorsement of products (e.g., books, training, drugs, etc.) that are known to present a conflict of interest.
Cancellation Policy
Full refunds are issued for cancellations made up to 7 working days before the event. Cancellations of less than 7 days for any reason, or no-shows are not refunded. Credit towards a future event/workshop are issued for cancellations less than 7 days and up to 24 hours before the event. No credit is issued for cancellations less than 24 hours before the events or no-shows.
Program Contacts
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Contact-
Hy Weinberg Center 325