Why Trump? A Kohutian Perspective
Presenter: Charles B. Srozier, PhD
Tuesday, October 13, 2026, at 7:00 – 9:00 PM Central time
In person at the Chicago Psychoanalytic Institute,
8 S. Michigan Ave., 7th Floor
or via Zoom
Speaker:
Dr. Strozier is Professor Emeritus of History, The City University of New York (professor 1986-2019, emeritus 2019ff); Training and Supervising Psychoanalyst, (TRISP), since 1997; Practicing Self-psychological psychoanalyst, 1992ff. Author of Heinz Kohut: The Making of a Psychoanalyst (2001), nominated for a Pulitzer Prize and translated into Italian, Japanese, Hebrew, and Mandarin; Lead author The New World of Self: Heinz Kohut’s Transformation of Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy (2022). He is currently working on a book with David Terman, Jeffrey Stern, and Linda Emanuel, Doing Self Psychology: Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy in a New Key.
Description:
This presentation will probe deeper into the psychohistorical meaning of “Why Trump?” We will examine how Trump’s personality has shaped his impact and will explore historical themes that have led to his rise and dominance. Kohut’s essays on leadership and the construct of the group self will be discussed. We will explore the paranoid style in the American self, contemporary pangs of hurt in the American group self and how these factors have contributed to “Why Trump?”
Agenda:
In the first hour the presenter will discuss the topic with both lecture and slides and the second hour will be time for audience discussion.
Learning Objectives
After attending this session, participants should be able to:
- A participant in this seminar will learn about Donald Trump leadership style.
- A participant will come to understand Kohut’s psychological model of charismatic and messianic leadership.
- A participant will increase understanding of why some have voted for Trump
Continuing Education Credits are offered exclusively to Society members in all membership categories and those intending to join.
The presenter, Charles Strozier, PhD, and the organizer, Lisa Karaitis, PsyD, have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to report.
Participants are asked to be aware of the need for privacy and confidentiality throughout the program.
CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS
In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by the American Psychoanalytic Association and The Chicago Psychoanalytic Society. The American Psychoanalytic Association is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
Credits Available:
- Physicians: 2.0 Credits
- Psychologists: 2.0 Credits
- Social Workers: 2.0 Credits
- PAs: 2.0 Credits
- Nurses & NPs: 2.0 Nursing Contact Hours
- Pharmacists/Pharmacy Technicians: 2.0 Credits
Pharmacists must claim credits within 30 days and provide their eProfile ID and Birthdate. APsA will not report credits claimed after 30 days or with incomplete information.
- Interprofessional Continuing Education: 2.0 Credits
Other Profession Types
Other profession types will receive a certificate of attendance upon completion of the activity and online evaluation confirming their participation. Participants may claim credit for recertification; however, their professional organization/institute hold the final say on which accredited activities they accept.
Disclosure Statement
None of the planners and presenters for this educational activity have relevant financial relationship(s)* to disclose with ineligible companies* whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients. There is no commercial support for this activity. APsA verifies that all materials generated by AI are accurate, including cited publications and posttests.
*Financial relationships are relevant if the educational content an individual can control is related to the business lines or products of the ineligible company.
