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SKA: I would have to say the
patients/clients. Every session is a new
experience, a new opportunity to learn
applications of their psychological (Karnac/Routledge 2013) and The and create change. There is nothing
understanding, including her own Klein-Winnicott Dialectic…
theories on Developmental Mourning (Karnac/Routledge 2014). more gratifying than helping someone
discover their deepest fears and
versus the arrested or inhibited
mourning in an attachment to a “bad” According to Dr. Kavaler-Adler, secrets, the reasons they feel less than
successful or worthwhile, and to give
eroticized internal other, “Mourning, and the emotional
characteristic of the Demon Lover processing of memories with someone the opportunity to use that
understanding to heal and move
Complex and its complicated love meaning, allows grief to become a
addiction. These studies reflect her prime psychological growth forward.

own clinical work. process. People who experience
losses, and don’t adequately EP: Do you have any hobbies?

In total, Dr. Susan has won 16 awards mourn, suffer intensely, and have
for her writing in the psychological all kinds of symptoms. Without SKA: Certainly. Dancing. I have
danced all my life, originally, modern
mental health field. She is a Fellow of consciousness of our inner
the American Board and Academy of fantasies and conflicts we don’t dance, then studied the experiential
process of Dance Therapy, and later
Psychoanalysis, as well as a allow ourselves to effectively
Diplomate psychologist- separate. We constantly repeat became an advanced Argentine Tango
Dance, studying the art individually
psychoanalyst through the Division our core traumas, and feel
of Psychoanalysis for the American abandoned, entrapped, and/or less and with my husband, following
studying some Ballroom and Latin
Psychological Association (ABPP), and than worthy. We have fits and
she belongs to many psychoanalytic nightmares. It can all work against dance. I have been dancing Argentine
Tango for 20 years now, several nights
societies and organizations. She is a people, and against the people
certified psychoanalyst with the who love them. However, once a week, after having studied the art
with many top professionals in private
National Association for the mourning is allowed to grow, it
Advancement of Psychoanalysis opens up so much in our feelings, and group classes for years. Now I just
dance Tango about 3 nights a week,
(NAAP) and has received an Honorary relationships, and sexuality, and
Doctorate in Literature (D.Litt.) enriches our personal creative with my husband and many other
partners. Argentine Tango requires a
(Ignatius University) in addition to expression. “
her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology certain focus and connection with your
partner. I’ve also performed at some
(Ph.D.) from the Gordon Derner Dr. Susan’s explanation of these
Institute within Adelphi University different psychological theories, psychological conferences, and at my
tango birthday parties. Once I
(1974). and how they have influenced her
career are so dynamic, and they performed with a top professional
partner at the Roosevelt Hotel, in front
Three of Dr. Kavaler-Adler’s best could be discussed for many more
known books are The Compulsion to pages than we have here. I’d of 500 people (in the balconies and
ground auditorium) at a conference. At
Create: Women Writers and their suggest you find one or more of
Demon Lovers (Routledge 1993, ORI her six books to find out more my parties everyone dances and has
dinner at a restaurant, and then I
Academic Press, 2013); The Creative (just google Susan Kavaler-Adler).
Mystique: From Red Shoes Frenzy to Now that you have heard about perform with professional partners,
and with my husband. I have a book
Love and Creativity (Routledge, 1996, Dr. Susan’s professional side, let’s
ORI Academic Press 2014); and explore her personal side. on Argentine Tango in New York City,
that contains interviews with top
Mourning, Spirituality and Psychic
Change (Routledge 2003, Gradiva Q & A professionals, and subjective tales and
essays. It tells about why people get
Award from NAAP 2004).
EP: What Drives You? into Tango, and why they fall in love
with it. The title of the book is
Two other psychoanalytic books are
The Anatomy of Regret… Saturday Nights at Lafayette Grill: True

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