A fundamental part of the frame in object relations is the external frame. That is everything from the structure of the psychotherapist’s practice, fees, and schedule to the layout and makeup of their office. The external frame is a concrete manifestation of the containing object, echoing the original containing object of the maternal womb. Harold Searles in particular highlighted the importance and complexity of interaction in the external frame in his book The Non-Human Environment, and it occupies a particular importance in our organizations mind as we attempt to be conscious of creating a learning environment, both internally an externally.

Over the last 20 years, Center for Object Relations has occupied a number of different spaces, but it all began in someone’s living room. A few clinicians gathered, and what transpired eventually grew into the organization we know today. In honoring our past we decided to name our new meeting space “The Living Room.” It seats 25 people, and is outfitted with the technology to run our webinars and seminars in the ever growing online learning environment. Here are some of the features of our new space:

The room can accommodate running webinars and individual classes and groups with both in-person and online participants at the same time. This will expand our organization’s flexibility to bring a rich variety of presenters, and allow participation from essentially anywhere.

As an evolving organization, as is everything human, we strive to keep a rootedness in the people, theory, and story of our organization. That is, even in the newness of this space there is meaning within the pictures on the walls, the books on our shelves, and the “feel” of our space. We look forward to introducing it all to you.