Jeffrey Seinfeld, PhD, LCSW
(August 16, 1947 — January 25, 2011)
Professor of Social Work, NYU Silver School of Social Work; Scientific Faculty member, Object Relations Institute for
Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis
BA City College of NY; MSW Hunter College; PhD New York University
Bio: Dr. Jeffrey Seinfeld, professor of social work, joined the faculty at NYU in 1987. He served as chairperson of the
Human Behavior and Social Environment area from 1998 to 2001. Dr. Seinfeld’s professional areas of interest include
Object Relations Theory, Social Philosophy, and Existential Philosophy. He has received national recognition for his
contribution to Object Relations Theory and Practice, and in 1997, was awarded the New York University Distinguished
Teachers Medal. At the School of Social Work, he has taught classes in Human Behavior and the Social Environment,
and Practice, at the MSW and PhD levels.
Prior to joining NYU, Dr. Seinfeld was a clinical social worker and Clinical Supervisor at the Jewish Board of Family and
Children’s Services (Bronx Office) from 1976 to 1987. He was also chairperson and a member of the Domestic Violence
Task Force, and conducted seminars in in-service training programs on child therapy, depression, and the multi-problem
family. His work included clinical practice and supervision in all modalities of child and adult treatment with a socially
disadvantaged and diverse client population. He is a member of the National Association of Social Workers, the Clinical
Social Work Society, and the Council on Social Work Education.
Books:
- Seinfeld, J. (2003). A Primer on the Negative Therapeutic Reaction. Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson.
- Seinfeld, J. (1996). Containing Terror, Rage & Despair: An Object Relations Approach to Psychotherapy.
Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson - Seinfeld, J. (1993) Interpreting & Holding: The Paternal and Maternal Functions of the Psychotherapist.
Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson - Seinfeld, J. (1991) The Empty Core. Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson
- Seinfeld, J. (1990) The Bad Object. Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson
- Orcutt, B. A., Flowers, L. C., & Seinfeld, J. (1990). Science and inquiry in social work practice.
New York: Columbia University Press. - Ehrenkranz, S. M., Goldstein, E., Goodman, L., & Seinfeld, J. (1989). Clinical social work with maltreated
children and their families: An introduction to practice. New York: New York University Press.
Chapters & Articles:
- Seinfeld, J. (2006) Loss, Belonging, Identity and the Dynamics of an Adoptee’s Identification with her
Birth Mother. In K. Hushion, S. Sherman and D. Siskind (eds): Understanding Adoption: Clinical Work
with Adults, Children and Parents. Lanham, MD: Jason Aronson. - Seinfeld, J. (1992). Book review [Turning Points in Psychoanalysis].
Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, vol. 9, no. 1. - Seinfeld, J. (1991). Book review [A Child Analysis with Anna Freud].
Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, vol. 8, no. 5. - Seinfeld, J. (1990). Book review [The Psychology of Separation and Loss].
Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, vol. 7, no. 3. - Seinfeld, J. (1989). Therapy with a Severely Abused Child: An Object Relations Perspective.
Clinical Social Work Journal, 17, 40 – 49.
Presentations:
- Seinfeld, J. (November 16, 2001). New Models of Clinical Practice from an Object Relations Perspective
International Object Relations Forum, on video live to Tavistock, London, U.K.; Washington, D.C.;
Salt Lake City, UT. - Seinfeld, J. (May 5, 2001). New Models of Clinical Practice. Connecticut Society for Clinical Social Work, CT.
- Seinfeld, J. (April 21, 2001). Clinical Practice with Clients in the Inner City. Object Relations Institute.
New York, NY. - Seinfeld, J. (March 3, 2001). Contemporary Issues in Psychoanalysis. Panel of Umbrella Organizations of
Contemporary Psychoanalytic Institutes, New York School of Medicine, NY. - Seinfeld, J. (May 2000). Clinical Practice and Multiculturalism. Keynote address to the International
Conference on Multiculturalism. New York University, Barcelona, Spain. - Seinfeld, J. (October, 1996). A Dialectic Between Fairbairn and Bion. Fairbairn Conference, New York, NY.
Honors:
- New York University Distinguished Teacher Award 1996
- New York University School of Social Work Great Teacher Award 1995