This is a hybrid event. Participants may attend in-person at BGSP (1581 Beacon Street, Brookline, MA) or via Zoom.
One-Woman Show: Decoding the Tablecloth
The third and final event in The Power of Drama: Why Do We Watch What We Watch? Fall 2025 Community Learning Series
Gabriela Kohen’s award-winning autobiographical one-woman show weaves the story of five generations of her family as they are displaced from Poland to Argentina, and then to New York City. “Kohen covers an astonishing amount of ground … portraying nearly two dozen characters… some played with a stand-up comic’s cartoonish-ness, some so understated and poignant they hurt… Decoding the Tablecloth is bitter, forgiving and wise.”- Washington Post. Join us for this live performance, followed by a discussion with the artist of her portrayal of generational trauma and resilience.
Writer and Performer
Gabriela Kohen, Cert. Psya. Cert. Psya. LP received her MFA in Acting from the American Conservatory Theater. She has performed “Decoding the Tablecloth” to critical acclaim at theaters around the country, as well as at the United Solo Festival on Theater Row, and the NY International Fringe Festival, where it won the award for “Outstanding Solo Show.” Ms. Kohen has also performed the show at psychoanalytic institutes and organizations around the country, facilitating psychoanalytic talkbacks and discussions. She has also performed the show at universities, and for Latino and Jewish organizations around the country—with the mission to bridge understanding among the two communities. Ms. Kohen is a licensed psychoanalyst in private practice. She is an advanced doctoral candidate at the Boston Graduate School of Psychoanalysis (BGSP), and her dissertation explores the use of the creative arts in psychoanalysis. Published works include Pearl Drop and the Magic Starship: A Psychoanalytic Exploration of the Trans Solution (Modern Psychoanalysis, Phyllis P. Meadow Award), and “Co-Creating Healing Dramas” a chapter written with Emily Nash in Healing Trauma in Group Settings: the Art of Co-leadership (Routledge). Ms. Kohen completed her psychoanalytic training at the Center for Modern Psychoanalytic Studies (CMPS) in New York, where she is on faculty, and has been a fellow, advisor, and training analyst. She is currently teaching in the CMPS One Year Program.
Discussant
Daniel Gilhooley, Psya.D. is an artist, psychoanalyst, and faculty member at the Center for Modern Psychoanalytic Studies (New York) and the Boston Graduate School of Psychoanalysis where he teaches courses in research and comparative psychoanalysis. He has published papers and presented nationally on the topics of clinical process, creative imagination, and exceptional experiences. His book, Psychoanalysis, Intersubjective Writing, and a Postmaterialist Model of Mind (2020, Routledge), written with his patient Frank Toich, received a Gradiva Award for Best Psychoanalytic Book. He has previously served as a discussant for Ms Kohen’s creative performances and has supervised her clinical work with actors.
OBJECTIVES
The participant will be able to:
- List and discuss historical and current psychoanalytic ideas of the function of drama in mental health.
- Identify and discuss personal attractions to certain types of drama and characters as they apply to themselves.
- Apply and discuss ideas about the importance of drama to clinical work.
2 CE Units / Clock Hours Available
BGSP is authorized to provide CEs for: Psychologists (all levels), Social Workers, Counselors
Boston Graduate School of Psychoanalysis is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. BGSP maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
Boston Graduate School of Psychoanalysis has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 5676. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Boston Graduate School of Psychoanalysis is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
Application for social work continuing education credits is being submitted. Please contact us at continuinged@bgsp.edu for the status of social work CE accreditation.
For information on continuing education credits for nurses, social workers, or marriage and family counseling, call (617) 277-3915.
Direct inquiries may be made regarding the accreditation status by NECHE to the administrative staff of the institution. Individuals may also contact: New England Commission on Higher Education, 3 Burlington Woods Drive, Ste 100, Burlington, MA 01803-4514, at (781) 425-7785 or email: info@neche.org
The Boston Graduate School of Psychoanalysis is accredited by the New England Commission on Higher Education.
Direct inquiries may be made regarding the accreditation status by NECHE to the administrative staff of the institution. Individuals may also contact: New England Commission on Higher Education, 3 Burlington Woods Drive, Ste 100, Burlington, MA 01803-4514, at (781) 425-7785 or email: info@neche.org
