Studies in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy
Curriculum

FIRST YEAR
The Theory Track covers the basic concepts of psychoanalytic psychotherapy: psychotherapy process, interpretation, the phases of treatment, and the concepts of defense, resistance, transference, and countertransference. The psychoanalytic theory of drive, ego, conflict, object relations, and self will be introduced in relation to the practice of psychoanalytic psychotherapy.

The Clinical Track utilizes case material presented by faculty and seminar participants to explore the psychotherapeutic process. These case conferences focus on the process of evaluation and formulation during initial interviews, the therapeutic alliance, transference, countertransference, resistance, interpretation and other theory demonstrated by the clinical material.

SECOND YEAR
The Theory Track presents the pathological organizations conceptualized as neurotic symptoms, character disorders, narcissistic disorders, and borderline and psychotic conditions. Participants should improve their ability to recognize and understand these disorders. Developmental theory will be woven into the discussions as a way of relating the formation of pathology to specific stages of development: infancy, toddlerhood, oedipal phase, latency, and adolescence.

The Clinical Track continues to explore the psychotherapeutic process through the presentation of detailed clinical material. These case conferences examine the methods of working with the psychopathological entities studied during the Theory Track. Technical issues of working through and termination are included.

CLASS SCHEDULE
First-year classes usually start in even-numbered years. The course work is offered on twenty-six Tuesday evenings a year from September through May, with classes from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Classes from the Theory Track alternate weekly with classes from the Clinical Track.

SUPERVISION
One individual supervision will be required at least every other week for one training case during the first year. Beginning in the second year, a second supervision with another supervisor will be required at least every other week for a second training case. Supervision is expected to continue during the summer months between the first and second years. Supervisors may be chosen from the Institute faculty. Fees are arranged on an individual basis by the participant and the supervisor. Time in supervision is not accounted for in the continuing education credits offered, but is considered necessary for adequate participation in the clinical case conferences.

PERSONAL PSYCHOTHERAPY OR PSYCHOANALYSIS
It is strongly recommended that each participant in the Program have, concurrent with the Program, a personal experience in psychodynamic psychotherapy or psychoanalysis in order to increase sensitivity to the workings of unconscious forces and to begin to free the participant from personality conflicts that might impede the development of psychotherapeutic competence.