BPSI
The training program consists of (1) the personal training analysis, (2) the academic program of theoretical and clinical instruction, and (3) the individual supervision of the candidate's psychoanalysis of patients. It is recommended that analysis, seminars and supervised analyses of patients be concurrent to maximize the syncretic process of training.
The total educational program is carried on concomitantly with the candidate's other professional activities, such as hospital residency, teaching, research work, or psychotherapy practice. The length of the program varies individually, depending upon such factors as the progress made by the candidate in his or her training analysis, courses and supervised clinical work, and it varies over a period of 5 years or longer. The candidate is required to be in analysis during the first year of seminars. Courses and seminars are mainly scheduled one or more evenings a week, and on Saturday mornings. Supervised clinical work requires at least four hours a week for each patient. Three cases, including patients of each sex, and a minimum of 150 supervisory hours are required for graduation, fifty of which are required on the first case.
Training Analysis
The personal analysis is a basic requirement for all subsequent professional education in psychoanalysis. It is conducted by one of the training analysts chosen by the candidate. The aim of the training analysis is to understand and master neurotic and personality problems and to free the candidate from unconscious attitudes that might interfere with psychoanalytic competence. It should provide first-hand experience of unconscious forces and resistances, free association, transference, working-through, and termination, and it should assist in developing self-analytic skills. It will be conducted at least four times a week. The duration of the analysis is determined by the personal therapeutic needs and individual progress of the candidate. In any case, it must be conducted through part of the candidate's own supervised experience in analysing patients.
Academic Program
Theoretical and clinical instruction consists of required and elective courses and seminars described below. Required courses include three years of Adult Clinical Conferences and two years of Continuous Case Seminars, Candidates are eligible to enroll in these seminars provided that they will have begun their training analyses by or in the fall of the academic year of the First Year Courses. Promotion to succeeding seminar years follows upon the candidate's satisfactory progress in course Work and upon approval of the Students Committee.
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.
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.
(requires Adobe
Acrobat Reader)
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.