Advanced Training Program in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy

The Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute (BPSI) established The Advanced Training Program (ATP) in 1979 as a continuation of a long-standing commitment to excellence in psychoanalytically informed clinical service. The Advanced Training Program aims to develop the knowledge required to conduct psychoanalytic psychotherapy. The program provides a forum for the intense study of the theories of psychoanalytic psychotherapy, from classical concepts, through ego and self psychology, to object relations theories and current thinking about relational approaches to psychoanalytic psychotherapy. The ATP is a multidisciplinary community of faculty and students with diverse perspectives and types of clinical experience.

Two seminars are offered each trimester over a three year period. Seminars meet Thursday evenings from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., at 15 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston. Faculty includes analytic members of BPSI and graduates of the ATP.

Program Components

Supervised Treatment: Students treat two patients weekly for at least two years. Patients are selected from the student’s practice, and a limited number of patients are referred to students by the ATP referral committee. Students select supervisors from analytic membership of BPSI.

Seminars: Students are offered a wide range of clinically informed seminars which trace the development of analytic theory, childhood development, stages of treatment, and particular clinical issues. Each trimester is of ten weeks duration.

Year I (With Fellowship in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy)
Comparative Theory, Introduction to Technique, Models for Therapeutic Action, Three Clinical Seminars

Year II
Neurosis and Neurotic Character, Child Development and Adult Psychopathology, Borderline Psychopathology and Personality Disorders, Three Clinical Seminars

Year II
Resistance, Advanced Character Pathology, Transference, Dreams, Clinical, Termination

Preceptor System: Each student is matched with a preceptor who will act as his or her advocate over the course of the program. The preceptor is available to advise the student, and act as liason to the ATP administration.

Personal Therapy: Self-analytic capacity is essential for therapists. Therefore, it is expected that trainees will have had, or concurrently become engaged in personal psychoanalytically oriented therapy of at least twice weekly frequency.

Admissions Procedures, Tuition, and Fees

The ATP welcomes applications from clinicians with advanced degrees in social work, psychiatry, psychology, nursing. All clinicians must have had at least two years of full-time supervised experience . Applicants must be licensed in their fields and carry malpractice insurance.

We request that all applications be submitted by May 15 for the following academic year. The application fee is $25. Tuition is currently $1,677 for each of the three seminar years. After completion of seminars there is a nominal yearly fee, which covers use of library facilities, and participation in scientific meetings and workshops. These fees are subject to change. Current fee information is available from the Administrative Office.

Supervisory fees are to be arranged on an individual basis, based on the student’s ability to pay.

Limited opportunities for financial assistance are available.

Printable Application Form
(requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

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.