History of the Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute

Psychoanalytic study began in Boston in the early 1900’s when a group of physicians, philosophers and psychologists met regularly to discuss the ideas of Freud, Janet, Bleuler, Bernsheim and others. By 1928 an informal psychoanalytic society had been formed. Within three years a full training program was instituted under the impetus of a group of young clinicians who had recently returned from study in Berlin and Vienna, and in 1933 the Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute became a formally recognized member of the American Psychoanalytic Association.

From the beginning, the Institute devoted itself to the training of psychoanalysts, and the Society served the continuing education and professional needs of its members, as well as offering seminars in related subjects to the community. Psychoanalytic training has traditionally been composed of three parts: personal analysis, seminars, and individually supervised clinical experience.

The first training program began in 1932 with a student body of six. Now about one hundred thirty psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and other mental health professionals are students in the psychoanalytic training program of the Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute. Over one hundred patients are in treatment with these students in low-fee supervised analyses. Over eighty members actively participate as psychoanalytic training faculty.

Society membership has increased from the original ten of 1932 to over three hundred fifty members today. Many members have been actively engaged in teaching, research, and administrative positions in other institutions in the area. Society activities include the Program in Psychoanalytic Studies, which offers a broad range of courses to allied professionals, the three-year Advanced Training in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, the one-year Fellowship in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, monthly scientific meetings, seminars, peer workshops, and larger conferences.

The training, postgraduate and continuing education programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education through the American Psychoanalytic Association, the American Psychological Association, and for individual programs for social workers, the Massachusetts Chapter of the NASW.

The Boston Psychoanalytic Alliance was established in 1998 as a division of the Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute. The Alliance is committed to the development of collaborative programs that will contribute to the community-at-large and works with organizations in the Greater Boston area. The Alliance offers a Speakers Bureau as part of its interface with the community.