Australian psychologists, join Professor Donald Carveth for a comprehensive exploration of sexuality from Freud to contemporary thinkers. This CEU event delves into instinctual drives versus symbolic structuring of sexuality, and reinterprets psychosexual stages for deeper clinical application in Australia.
In this thought-provoking talk, Professor Donald Carveth explores evolving perspectives on human sexuality, from classical Freudian theory to post-Freudian and existential frameworks. Beginning with Freud’s view of the human as biologically driven and shaped by instinctual sexual drives, Prof. Carveth contrasts this with the work of theorists such as Erich Fromm, who propose that human sexuality is also structured through symbolic thought and cultural narratives.
Prof. Carveth revisits Freud’s psychosexual stages—not simply as stages of biological development, but as thematically rich and symbolically organized processes. This presentation invites practitioners to reconsider how sexuality, identity, and narrative interact in the formation of the self and to reflect on the implications for psychotherapeutic work.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this talk, participants will be able to:
Describe Freud’s theory of sexuality and its role in shaping personality.
Contrast Freudian drive theory with existential and narrative perspectives on human sexuality.
Understand psychosexual stages as thematic and symbolic processes rather than purely biological ones.
Reflect on how cultural and psychological narratives shape sexual identity and behavior.
Apply these conceptual frameworks to clinical work with clients presenting issues related to sexuality, identity, and developmental history.