Being Me, Knowing You:  The Foundations for Human Encounter

Course Description

Becoming a distinct self and appreciatively knowing others are the foundations of a meaningful life. Learning to be oneself is more complicated and interesting than often considered.  We develop in relationship to another, traveling from the infant nursery to adult relationships of mutual satisfaction and/or conflict-ridden pain.  Through readings in psychotherapeutic theory, popular literature, and cinema this seminar explores the psychological processes of the development of the self and what makes for satisfying relationships.  There are many niches in this subject to explore during this seminar or throughout one’s academic career.  Questions include: What contributes to the ability to really listen?  How does one recognize and revise one’s prejudices?  What are the roles of “attachment and separation” in human development?  What encourages functional expressions of aggressive drives?  Is there no end to mutual discovery in a functional marriage?