Sverre Varvin, MD, 2004

Dr. Sverre Varvin’s work on human rights and his publications on ethnic cleansing and the psychology of refugees and torture victims is an extraordinary example of applied analysis to social issues. An active clinician and contributor to national and international psychoanalytic organizations, Dr. Varvin’s work fosters international cooperation to address human rights violations in countries plagued by war, terrorism and dictatorial regimes and promotes rehabilitation in war torn populations. His educational programs emphasize both the clinical and ethical dimensions of work with victims. Planning and implementing recruitment, education and support for medical communities that work with victims of abuse, torture, and oppression, including the prison medical teams and doctors who themselves are victims is an important aspect of his work.

Being a practicing psychoanalyst I have always seen psychoanalysis as a way of understanding and relating to problems outside the clinical field. This has led me to involvement in work with human rights, the treatment and rehabilitation of refugees and torture victims and also into research in different areas. I have more than once felt that my training as psychoanalysts was useful, for example in human rights work in conflict zones.

I must, though, admit that I often was not sure this was quite acceptable as part of a psychoanalyst’s work field. Receiving the Mary S. Sigourney award in 2004 represented for me an immense support for this part of my work. It was not only an acceptance of the value of using psychoanalytic clinical knowledge to help the ones in our society that has lost most but also a solid confirmation for that one could, and maybe should, use this knowledge in the fields of conflict management and human rights.

I did not expect this award. I see it as a helping hand to those who have been deprived of their home, their loved ones and their dignity. The Mary S. Sigourney award gave me strength to go on. – Sverre Varvin