BPA | The Poetic Mind Seminar - Poetry and AI

The Poetic Mind Seminar

Poetry and AI.
An exploration of how poetry can challenge and diffuse the dehumanising effects of Artificial Intelligence.

Maurice Whelan Poet and Psychoanalyst 
Chair Louise Hayman

Monday 2nd November 2026
8-9.30pm
Online only

Biographies

Maurice Whelan is an Irish-born poet, psychoanalyst and writer based in Sydney, Australia. He trained as a psychoanalyst with the British Psychoanalytical Society in London and later moved to Australia, where he became a Training Analyst of the Australian Psychoanalytical Society and served two terms as Chair of the Sydney Institute for Psychoanalysis.
Before training as an analyst, Whelan studied philosophy, theology, sociology, criminology and social policy, and worked as a social worker and psychiatric social worker.
His writing relate to the themes of the Poetic Mind Seminars and brings psychoanalysis into conversation with poetry, literature, creativity and the freedom to think.
He has published numerous books of poetry and prose, including The Lilac Bow, A Season and a Time, In the Company of William Hazlitt and Thought: The Invisible Essence. A recurring theme throughout his work is the relationship between imagination, emotional experience and the development of an independent mind.

Louise Hayman is a Psychoanalyst with the BPA and co-chair with David Morgan of Poetic Mind.

The Poetic Mind Seminar

A series centered on the intersection of poetry and psychoanalysis can explore how both disciplines utilise language to navigate the complexities of human experience.

Future topics

Metaphor and Meaning: Examining how metaphors function in both poetry and therapeutic dialogue to reveal unconscious content.

The Poetics of Therapy: Investigating the role of narrative and in psychoanalytic practice.

Language and Healing: Exploring how the expressive qualities of language in poetry can inform therapeutic techniques aimed at emotional processing and integration.

By delving into these areas, we could illuminate the rich, symbiotic relationship between poetic expression and psychoanalytic exploration, offering deeper insights into the human condition through the lens of language.

The opinions and views expressed are entirely those of the speaker in a personal capacity and do not necessarily reflect the policies or opinions of the BPA.
Refunds available up to 10 days before the event start date.