The

FTM Prize & Lecture

The Frances Tustin Memorial Trust is dedicated to the teaching, expansion and extension of Tustin’s seminal work on the understanding and treatment of autistic spectrum disorders and defenses. Toward this goal, each year the Trust sponsors The Frances Tustin Memorial Prize, consisting of $1,000 and presentation at the Annual Frances Tustin Memorial Lecture at the beginning of November.

All interested parties are encouraged to submit (by e-mail attachment) a previously unpublished, psychoanalytically oriented, clinically focused paper addressing the treatment of primitive mental states in general and autistic defenses, disorders or states in children, adolescents or adults, in particular. The paper must be no more than 6500 words (including references), in the English language, written in double spaced format, 12 points font and be submitted by April 1st each year. Writers whose mother tongue is not English should take care to have the paper they intend to submit be translated or edited at a high level of English. A separate short abstract and bio of the author should be attached.

The body of the e-mail, to which the paper is attached, shall contain all identifying and contact information and may contain any other communication to the Trust desired by the author. However, each attached paper must be completely cleansed of anything that would identify the author, this in order to insure fairness in choosing the awardee. Submissions should be sent to Alina Schellekes at: shalin@zahav.net.il

Papers received each year before the deadline of April 1st are read and anonymously evaluated by the Board of Trustees on the basis of relevance to the work of Frances Tustin, the originality of the material presented and clarity of argument and clinical presentation. After discussing the papers, the most outstanding paper is selected, by a vote of the Board of Trustees, to receive the Prize.

Authors are notified by The Trust, in writing, about the outcome of their deliberations during June each year and the author of the Prize winning paper is invited to present at The Annual Frances Tustin Memorial Lecture at Tel Aviv University.

The FTM Lecture is an all-day conference co-sponsored by the Frances Tustin Memorial Trust along with The Program of Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy,  Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University. The FTM Lecture is held annually at the beginning of November. The Lecture day features the recipient of the FTM Prize. The paper is presented by the author and there may be a formal discussant elected by the Trust as well as ample time for audience participation.

Additionally a public discussion of a clinical case or a second paper may be presented at the discretion of the awardee of the Prize. If you would like to be notified regarding these events and others organized by the Frances Tustin Memorial Trust you have the option to subscribe to our e-mail list by clicking below:

It is now possible to purchase membership online and to pay in four installments. To purchase membership please press the link below.

For International Residents:

PREVIOUS PRIZE WINNERS

1997 The 1st Annual International Frances Tustin Memorial Prize “Prenatal Trauma and Autism . by Dr. Suzanne Maiello of Rome, Italy

1998 The 2nd Annual International Frances Tustin Memorial Prize “On Getting From A to B” by Mrs. Maria Rhode of London. England

1999 The 3rd Annual International Frances Tustin Memorial Prize “The Use of Observation in the Psychoanalytic Treatment of a Twelve-Year Old Boy With Asperger’s Syndrome By Miss Maria Pozzi of London, England

2000 The 4th Annual International Frances Tustin Memorial Prize “The Use of Stories as Autistic Objects” by Mr. Paul Barrows of Bristol, England

2001 The 5th Annual International Frances Tustin Memorial Prize “The Child Who Had Fallen Into a Ravine: Psychological Catastrophe, Primary Depression, Manic Defense and ‘Reparation in Respect of Mother’s Organized Defense Against Depression‘ ” by Vincenzo Bonaminio, Ph.D. of Rome, Italy

2002 The 6th Annual International Frances Tustin Memorial Prize “Splitting of Psychic Bisexuality in Autistic States by Prof. Didier Houzel, MD. Pf Caen, France

2003 The 7th Annual International Frances Tustin Memorial Prize “Autistic Enclaves in the Dynamics of Adult Psychoanalysis by Bianca Lechevalier-Haim, M.D. of Caen, France

2005 The 9th Annual International Frances Tustin Memorial Prize, The Analyst’s Mind and Autistic Transformations by Celia Fix Korbivcher, M.D. of Sao Paulo, Brazil

2006 The 10th Annual International Frances Tustin Memorial Prize, A Permanent Earthquake by Professor Jeffrey Eaton of California, USA

2007 The 11th Annual International Frances Tustin Memorial Lecture

a The Creation of Psychic Space, the ‘Nest of Babies’ Fantasy and the Emergence of the Oedipus Complex” by Prof. Didier Houzel
b Hansen Discussion of “The Creation of Psychic Space, the ‘Nest of Babies’ Fantasy and the Emergence of the Oedipus Complex A discussion of by Prof. Yvonee Hansen Ph.D. on a paper by Prof. Houzel
c Memories in Feelings and Autistic Barriers” by Prof. Didier Houzel
d Sowa Discussion of “Memories in Feelings and Autistic Barrier A discussion Angela Sowa on a paper by Prof. Houzel

2008 The 12th Annual International Frances Tustin Memorial Lecture

a

The Dread Of Falling and Dissolving:
Further Thoughts

Prize Winning Paper

  by Alina Schellekes,
Israel
b When Time Stood Still
Thoughts About Time In Primitive Mental States 
  by Alina Schellekes,
Israel

2009 The 13th Annual International Frances Tustin Memorial Lecture

a The Psyche In-Dwelling in the Body: States of integration, un-integration, and depersonalization as seen in severe neurotic and borderline childhood and adolescent disturbances and in encapsulated and/or fragmented, confusional states in autistic children   by `Vincenzo Bonaminio ,
(Rome)
b A Discussion Of Paper   by Dr. Theodore Mitrani,
Los Angeles

2010 The 15th Frances Tustin Memoria Lecturel.

a “The Dread and Dissolution and “Further Thoughts on Autistic Shapes in Adult Pathology “ films by Frances Tustin and discussed with Panelist by Panelist Yvonne Hansen, Jeffrey Eaton, James and Shirley Gooch

2011 The 16th Annual International Frances Tustin Memorial Lecture

a Hoodwinked: The Use of the Analyst as Autistic Shape   by Dr. Dolan Power, MD
(Cambridge, MA)
b Autistic Syntax as an Inverse Use of the Psychic Organ Point   by Dr. Dana Amir, PhD ,
(Haifa, Israel)

2013 The 18th Annual Frances Tustin Memorial Lecture

a “Frances Tustin’s ‘Diabolon’ and ‘Metabolon’ Revisited: Further Clinical Explorations” and “‘Black Holes’, Deadness and Existing Analytically” by Ofra Eshel, Tel-Aviv, Israel

2014 The 19th Annual Frances Tustin Memorial Lecture

a “Requiem for a Dream: Creative Steps Towards the Recovery of a Young Psychotic Woman” by Mark Howard, Sydney, Australia

2015 The 20th Annual Frances Tustin Memorial Lecture

a “Arid Mental Landscapes and Avid Cravings for Human Contact: Beckettian and Analytic Narratives”  by Alina Schellekes (Israel)
b “When Day Dreaming Goes Wrong and Hypochondria Becomes an Autistic Retreat” by Alina Schellekes (Israel)

2018 The 21st Annual International Frances Tustin Memorial Lecture

a Pour Lilian, bébé à risque autistique, et sa maman, «allumer une petite bougie», et voir « le soleil se lever»   Dr. Pascale Ambroise,
(Torcy, France)
b Parasitism: An Autistic Island   by Dr. Nilofer Kaul
(Delhi, India)

2019 The 22nd Annual International Frances Tustin Memorial Lecture

a The ’Violence of the Real’ in Unrepresented Experience – prize winning lecture   Dr. Louise Gyler
(Sydney, Australia)
b On the Edge: Dangerous Moments in Navigating Two-ness   Dr. Louise Gyler
(Sydney, Australia)

2020The 23rd Annual International Frances Tustin Memorial Lecture

No prize was given this year.

The memorial lectureship day included:

aa filmed interview conducted by Prof. Didier Houzel with Frances Tustin 
bmemories of being in supervision with Frances TustinProf. Yolanda Gampel (Israel) and Dr. Suzanne Maiello (Italy)
cOn the absence of bodily awareness in autistic childrenDr. Suzanne Maiello (Italy)
dClinical case presentation

Hagit Cohen Yeshurun (Israel)

Dr. Suzanne Maiello (Italy) – discussant

2021The 24th Annual International Frances Tustin Memorial Lecture
a “War in times of love”- Prenatal cell relations as a prototype of autistic anxieties, defenses and object relations – Prize Winning Lecture By Shiri Ben Bassat (Israel) Discussants: Jeff Eaton (USA) and Joshua Durban (Israel)
b The actual conception as a starting point of the psychic preconceptions that will influence future unconscious phantasies and object relations By Shiri Ben Bassat (Israel) Discussants: Jeff Eaton (USA) and Joshua Durban (Israel)
c  Discussion of the film “Life, Animated” Nechama Faber Ben Pazi (Israel)
2022The 25th Annual International Frances Tustin Memorial Lecture No prize was given this year.
a Mother-Infant Psychoanalysis – From Clinic to Theory Dr. Bianca Lechevalier-Haim (France)
b Primary Psycho-Physical Shapes in Clinical Practice with Autistic Children Dr. Suzanne Maiello (Italy)
c  Clinical case presentation Pam Shein  (Sydney, Australia) Discussants: Dr. Bianca Lechevalier-Haim and  Dr. Suzanne Maiello