Psychoanalytic Training Program at the Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute

Education at the Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute, Inc. (BPSI)

The Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute’s curriculum engages candidates by teaching a broad range of classical and contemporary psychoanalytic theories and techniques. The field of psychoanalysis has changed dramatically over more than a century, and to this end, instructors take care to place the evolution of psychoanalytic theories into their historical context. Theory and comparative technique courses review the work of major contributors to psychoanalysis, which include Freud and classical theory, contemporary developments within American ego psychology, Klein and the contemporary Kleinians, and the schools of Object Relations, Self Psychology, and Contemporary Relational Psychoanalysis.

Class work furnishes a rich and creative experience intended to advance each candidate’s knowledge and clinical skills, with the ultimate goal of helping each candidate to develop his or her individual identity as a psychoanalyst. Training at BPSI prepares graduates for the clinical practice of psychoanalysis and the application of psychoanalytic concepts to many areas of clinical, scholarly, and other professional work.

The core curriculum consists of five sequences: Theory, Technique, Psychopathology, Development (including Child Development) and Clinical Practice. These strands are interlaced through five years of course work, with a special emphasis on the close relationship between psychoanalytic theory and technique.

These sequences are supplemented by the following curriculum components:

•Research seminar — taught by faculty active in psychoanalytic research.

•Lecture series — three annual talks on matters of contemporary interest given by faculty members followed by formal discussions by candidates.

•Writing program — integrated into the curriculum, this program supports candidates’ efforts to write about clinical cases, for progression towards graduation and/or for publication.

•Electives — candidates participate in elective seminars on a wide variety of topics. (for example: Theories of Seduction and the Ethics of Psychoanalysis, The Interpretive Process and the Process of Working Through; Psychoanalytic Perspectives on Couple Therapy)

Since our classes are relatively small, candidates interact closely with faculty members, many of whom have national and international reputations in their areas of interest. All candidates and instructors participate in ongoing reviews of the curriculum, and faculty and candidates work together to use the feedback to meet educational goals.

Candidates are fully integrated into the intellectual life of the Institute. They participate regularly through membership on a candidates’ council, through a class and individual advisory system, and through candidate representation on administrative committees. Candidates are full voting members in our Society, which is the largest in the United States. Candidates also participate in scientific meetings, member seminars, a film discussion series, and a wide array of other programs.

Training at BPSI offers entrée into a stimulating and diverse psychoanalytic local, national and international community that provides unparalleled opportunities for lifelong learning and professional
development.

Admissions Procedures

Psychoanalytic Training Application

Printable Training Guide
(requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Seminar Schedule 2011-2012

Faculty

Training Analysis

A central part of analytic training is the candidate’s training analysis, which contributes to the development of self-analytic skill and analytic identity and gives candidates the chance to develop greater understanding of themselves and the analytic process. A productive psychoanalysis helps candidates to develop greater openness to their own feelings and those of others and to alleviate suffering. Through personal analysis, candidates acquire the freedom to function more effectively in their personal and professional lives, and they also develop a fuller appreciation of the nature of their patients’ experience with the analytic relationship and process. The fee for the candidate’s personal training analysis is arranged between the candidate and the analyst. Many training analysts offer reduced fees to candidates.

Supervised Clinical Work

The Education Committee determines the candidate’s readiness for this phase of the training program. The candidate must have completed at least part of the first year of seminars and have professional licensure in this state. The candidate is then approved to undertake the analysis of a suitable patient with supervision with a Supervising Analyst. At this time the candidate is eligible for and is invited to become an “Affiliate Member” of the American Psychoanalytic Association.

The candidate selects a supervising analyst, other than the personal training analyst, from a list of supervisors provided by the Institute. The arrangements regarding the time, schedule and fees are made privately between the candidate and the supervising analyst.

For the first and second supervised analyses patients may be selected by the supervising analyst together with the candidate. A group of low-fee patients are evaluated and recommended as suitable by the Committee on Institute Analysis. Through their interviews and the brochure provided these patients have been informed of the conditions of entering treatment with a candidate.

Currently many candidates are finding their own control analysis patients from their own practice and through referrals from colleagues or supervisors on an informal basis. This process involves evaluations by the candidate and supervisor and may include clinical supervision of the process of presenting psychoanalysis to the patient as a treatment of choice. The final selection of patients is under the supervision of the Committee on Institute Analysis.

Approval for a second case requires the recommendation of the supervising analyst after six months of analysis with the first case. Approval for a third case requires a written report on case #1 after at least one year in analysis and on case #2 after six months in analysis; written recommendations of the supervising analyst are also required. Summary reports on all supervised cases are required for graduation.

A minimum of three supervised analyses must be carried by the candidate. At least 50 hours of consultation with the supervising analyst are required for one case. These supervised sessions are usually held on a weekly basis.

Unsupervised Clinical Work

Candidates whose work is considered superior as recommended by a supervising analyst are eligible, after completing 120 hours or more of supervision in three cases, to conduct the analysis of additional cases prior to graduation without Institute supervision, upon approval by the Students Committee.

For further information, contact the Administrative Office

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and Policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint sponsorship of the American Psychoanalytic Association and the Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute. The American Psychoanalytic Association is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians and takes responsibility for the content, quality, and scientific integrity of this CME activity. The American Psychoanalytic Association designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.5 hours per session in Category I Credit towards the AMA Physician’s Recognition Award. Each physician should claim only those hours of credit that he/she actually spent in the educational activity. The Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute is approved by the American Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. The Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute maintains responsibility for this program. Please contact the BPSI Administrative Office about continuing education for social workers. The Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute, Inc. (BPSI) does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, age, national origin, handicap, or sexual preference in admissions, administration of its education programs, scholarship and loan programs, and employment.