New Books in Psychoanalysis

Roberta Satow, "Our Time Is Up" (Ipbooks, 2024)

Jan 16, 2025

In this engaging discussion, Roberta Satow, a seasoned psychoanalyst and author, delves into her novel, 'Our Time Is Up.' She skillfully navigates the tension between patient and analyst, revealing how her protagonist, Rose, embodies both roles. The conversation highlights the complexities of transference, the importance of intimacy in therapy, and the creative process behind blending autobiographical elements with fiction. Satow also reflects on how personal experiences and emotions shape therapeutic dynamics, sparking a rich dialogue on regret, guilt, and connection.

50:21

Episode guests

Roberta Satow

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Dr. Roberta Satow's novel 'Our Time Is Up' uniquely blends fiction and psychoanalysis by portraying the emotional complexities of transference through various patient-analyst relationships.

Intimacy and self-disclosure between the protagonist Rose and her analyst Joan reveal how vulnerability fosters deeper connections, impacting therapeutic outcomes.

Deep dives

The Journey of Writing 'Our Time is Up'

Dr. Roberta Seitao describes her long and evolving journey in writing her novel 'Our Time is Up,' which was influenced by her experiences both as a patient and an analyst. The concept began to take shape after she wrote 'Doing the Right Thing,' leading her to explore themes of psychoanalysis through a fictional lens. Despite initial hesitations regarding her main character Rose, she persevered, completing the novel after working on other projects. Seitao reflects on how her academic background has informed her writing style, marking a shift from purely academic to more personal narrative.

Intro

4min

The Creative Process in Psychoanalysis

12min

Exploring Autobiography and Orthodoxy in Psychoanalysis

3min

Unraveling Character Connections

6min

Intimacy and Boundaries in Therapy

15min

Exploring Regret and Guilt Through Personal Reflection

3min

The Writer's Dilemma in Psychoanalysis

3min

Today I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Roberta Satow about her new book Our Time Is Up (Ipbooks, 2024).

In 1895 Freud noticed that his case histories “read like short stories and that, as one might say, they lack the serious stamp of science.” What Dr. Satow has written works in the other direction; a novel that reads like case histories. She has accomplished the difficult task of representing what it feels like on both sides of the couch as her protagonist Rose is first a patient and then an analyst. This allows Satow to introduce multiple patients, each with resonant and recognizable temperaments. As a reader these characters present us with experiences of transference, counter transference, and the intimacy afforded by both. Intimacy is the affect running through the book.

While much of Rose’s story is autobiographical, Satow the writer knew she needed a plot and gave herself license to invent the final chapter of Rose’s relationship with her analyst. This part of the story satisfies a fantasy many patients have in relation to their analyst. It is pure wish fulfilment.

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