New Orleans Psychoanalytic Center

Mission Statement and History of the Institute

The New Orleans Psychoanalytic Institute began informally as a Study Group in 1947, was formally approved as a Study Group by the Board on Professional Standards of the American Psychoanalytic Association in 1949, and was fully accredited as an Institute in May, 1961. Until the mid 1970's it was the only facility for psychoanalytic training in the South accredited by the American Psychoanalytic Association.

Drs. Anna Colomb and Samuel Barkoff committed themselves to establishing psychoanalytic training in this city and, under the sponsorship of the Washington Psychoanalytic Institute, developed a Training Center by 1953. Continued growth resulted in full accreditation of the Institute by the American Psychoanalytic Association in 1961.

In 1972, the Institute inaugurated a training program in the psychoanalysis of children and adolescents which is conducted in accordance with standards of the Board on Professional Standards of the American Psychoanalytic Association and its Committee on Child Analysis. In 1975, the Board granted full accreditation to the program.

In 1968, the New Orleans Institute established a geographic program in Houston/Galveston which by 1975 was able to offer full psychoanalytic training. In 1979, it became a fully accredited Institute.

In 1972, the Institute established another geographic program in Dallas, Texas. The Dallas Geographic Program became a Provisional Institute in 1988, and became the second independent psychoanalytic training facility in Texas in May, 1992.

Since its founding, the Institute has continually placed its primary efforts on the training of clinical psychoanalysts. As of this writing (2001), it has graduated 75 candidates, the majority of whom have become certified by the American Psychoanalytic Association.

The New Orleans Psychoanalytic Society began informally in October, 1953. In May, 1955 the group was officially designated a Constituent Society of the American Psychoanalytic Association. Eight New Orleans psychoanalysts who were also members of the American Psychoanalytic Association, were involved in the organizing of this Society. They included: Carl Adatto, Samuel Barkoff, Kenneth Beach, Anna Colomb, Irwin Marcus, Henry Miles, Norman Rucker and Theodore Watters. These same individuals had been involved in the psychoanalytic training that had been taking place in the city for six years.

The mission of the Society is to promote the art and science of psychoanalysis through various educational endeavors including the reading of scientific papers, conducting discussion groups and offering informative programs on psychoanalytic topics for its membership and the community at large. In addition, the Society aims to develop the relationship of psychoanalysis to other academic and professional disciplines.

While the New Orleans Psychoanalytic Society has no formal affiliation with the New Orleans Psychoanalytic Institute most Institute graduates become members of the Society. Psychoanalysts from other areas also join our Society. Over the years, persons from other disciplines have become affiliated with the Society either through participation in the Society's programs or, more recently, through becoming a member of the Society. Members from the Society come from diverse backgrounds including psychiatrists, theologians, academicians, social workers, psychologists, as well as others who share an interest in psychoanalysis.

Through the years the Society has sponsored a series of scientific programs with presentations from Society members as well as from a number of distinguished nationally and internationally recognized contributors to the science and practice of psychoanalysis. These have included various courses, ongoing seminars and symposia for members of mental health professions and for the larger community. Some examples of these endeavors include an ongoing interdisciplinary seminar of the application of psychoanalytic understanding to areas such as literature, art, political science, anthropology, linguistics and theology; the application of psychoanalytic understanding to the work of the clergy, teachers, school administrators and counselors, child protection workers; various courses on aspects of psychoanalysis for practicing psychotherapists such as principles and practice of psychoanalytic psychotherapy, trauma, female adolescence, issues of personality conflicts in marriage; an ongoing interdisciplinary seminar on psychoanalytic psychology; and single events such as a film lecture and presentation from the points of view of psychoanalysts and film criticism and a day long workshop featuring the work of an internationally renowned psychoanalyst.

Over the years, members of the New Orleans Psychoanalytic Society have served with distinction at the national and international level of the American Psychoanalytic Association. They have held office, served on committees as well as contributed significantly to the psychoanalytic literature.

The Society was honored to be among the first recipients of the Mary S. Sigourney Award which recognized the Society for its significant contributions to psychoanalysis. These contributions continue as the New Orleans Psychoanalytic Society pursues its commitments to its members and to the community at large to represent, enhance and promote the science and profession of psychoanalysis.