Voices from ROOM: A Podcast for Analytic Action Reframing Discovery with JT Mikulka
Dec 18, 2025
JT Mikulka, a New York-based social worker and psychoanalyst, delves into the intersections of psychoanalysis and coloniality. He reflects on the recent IPA conference, challenging us to reconsider what is deemed 'new' in psychoanalytic thought. Mikulka critiques professional norms that stifle change and discusses the courage of pioneers like Frida From-Reichmann. He emphasizes the importance of present-moment reflection in therapy, advocating for a shift away from authority towards inviting patient engagement in the analytic process.
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Monument To Colonial Discovery
- JT Mikulka describes seeing a monument to
Keynote Tension Over Recognition
- JT recounts a keynote where a Black South African speaker discussed recognition and reparative work.
- An Israeli attendee demanded personal pain be acknowledged, sparking a heated exchange that highlighted enactment and uncontained defenses.
Discovery Mirrors Colonial Mindset
- JT argues the psychoanalytic notion of the analyst as archaeologist echoes colonial discovery.
- He warns this colonizing stance contradicts analysis's liberatory aims and is embedded in analytic practice.