Appalachian Psychoanalytic Society
a local chapter of the Division 39 of the American Psychological Association
presents the
Paul Lerner Scholar's Symposium
with
Mark Waugh, PhD,
on
Troubadours of Transitional Space
and the
New DSM
(digital simulated mentalization)
Saturday, May 9, 2026
8:30am - 12:10pm
University of Tennessee Medical Center
Morrison Education and Conference Center
1924 Alcoa Highway
Knoxville, TN 37920
Participants are encouraged to read this article before the program:
Who Do We Become When We Talk to Machines?
Description of Program
Some argue that the rise of AI and virtuality is the fourth narcissistic blow to humanity (after Copernicus, Darwin, Freud). That is, human language, cognition, and, indeed, the self are no longer uniquely human. Situated in basic psychoanalytic principles and current concepts of personality disorder, we examine AI and virtuality for the psychodynamic clinician.
Presenter
Mark Waugh, PhD, ABPP, is a clinical psychologist who has practiced psychological assessment and psychotherapy in the greater Knoxville area in a variety of contexts, taught and supervised at the University of Tennessee Department of Psychology, and presented and published scholarly articles and books on personality disorders.
Schedule
8:30am Registration
8:55am Welcome and Introduction
9:00am Presentation
10:30am Break
10:40am Presentation
12:10pm Complete Evaluations and Adjourn.
Learning Objectives
After attending this intermediate-level program in full, participants will be able to:
1. Describe psychodynamic features of dimensional models of personality disorder.
2. State broad principles of mentalization theory.
3. Identify ways in which the concept of Winnicottian transitional space applies to child development, psychotherapy, and other areas of adult behavior.
4. Identify behavioral and emotional features of contemporary digital experience.
5. Connect transitional space, mentalization theory, and contemporary digital experience.
6. Analyze potentials and risks of generative AI and digital experience in relation to psychotherapy.
Participants
This program is open to all APS members. It is not limited to individuals practicing in a predominately psychoanalytic mode. The material will be appropriate for clinicians with intermediate levels of experience and knowledge.
Registration Fees and Policies
Professional Members and Scholar Members: FREE
Early-Career Professional Members: FREE
Graduate Student Members: FREE
Non-members, please join APS to attend this program.
Although walk-ins will be accepted, please register online at www.aps-tn.wildapricot.org in advance to assure adequate food and seating.
Facility is accessible to persons who are physically challenged. If participants have special needs, we will attempt to accommodate them. Please address requests, questions, concerns and any complaints to Joyce Cartor, PhD.
APS Membership
Eligible professionals can join APS or renew their membership for the 2025-2026 program year for $120. Scholars can join/renew for $80 and Early-Career Professionals can join/renew for $65. Graduate students may join or renew for $25.
American Psychological Association Approval Statement
Division 39 is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Division 39 maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
Continuing Education
This program, when attended in its entirety, is available for 3 continuing education credits. With full attendance (sign-in at start of program) and completion of a program Evaluation and Learning Assessment, a certificate will be issued. Psychologists will have their participation registered through Division 39. Partial credit is not available for partial attendance.
APS and Division 39 are committed to conducting all activities in conformity with the American Psychological Association’s Ethical Principles for Psychologists. APS and Division 39 are also committed to accessibility and non-discrimination in continuing education activities. Participants are asked to be aware of the need for privacy and confidentiality throughout the program. If program content becomes stressful, participants are encouraged to process these feelings during discussion periods.
Selected References
Choi-Kain, L. W., & Gunderson, J. G. (2008). Mentalization: Ontogeny, assessment, and application in the treatment of borderline personality disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry, 165(9), 1127-1135.
Fonagy, P., Luyten, P., & Allison, E. (2015). Epistemic petrification and the restoration of epistemic trust: A new conceptualization of borderline personality disorder and its psychosocial treatment. Journal of Personality Disorders, 29(5), 575-609.
Turkle, S. (2024). Who do we become when we talk to machines? Who Do We Become When We Talk to Machines?
Waugh, M.H. (2025). The Psychodynamic Core of Personality Disorder: Contemporary Models and Methods. In K. Banicki & P. Zachar (Eds), Conceptualizing Personality Disorder: Perspectives from Philosophy, Psychological Science, and Psychiatry (pp. 59-85). Cambridge University Press.
Yirmiya, K., & Fonagy, P. (2025). Mentalizing without a mind: psychotherapeutic potential of generative AI. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 27, e79156.
Contact
If participants have special needs, we will attempt to accommodate them. Please address requests, questions, concerns and any complaints to the APS President Joyce Cartor, PhD.
There is no commercial support for this program nor are there any relationships between Division 39, APS, presenters, program content, research, grants or other funding sources that could reasonably be construed as conflicts of interest. During the program, the validity/utility of the content and risks/limitations of the approaches discussed will be addressed.