Frequently Asked Questions
about
training as a psychoanalyst at the Institute of
Psychoanalysis
Selection Criteria and
Process
Do I have to be qualified as a mental
health professional to train?
No. Applicants come from a range of
different professions. Although it is often the case that
applicants do have a previous training in a core mental health
profession (psychiatry, psychology, social work or nursing)
applicants from other professional or academic backgrounds are
encouraged to apply.
Do I need to have clinical experience
before I can apply?
There is no a-priori requirement for
clinical experience. At the preliminary interview stage
an individual’s clinical experience will be explored and it
may be that an honorary placement in a clinical setting could
be suggested as a way of gaining more experience. Once a
candidate is accepted and registered, he/she, together with
his/her progress advisor, will develop a programme that will
provide the candidate with any clinical experience required
for the training, in addition to conducting the analyses of
two training patients.
Do I have to be in analysis in order to
apply or be accepted for the training?
No. There is no requirement to be in
analysis before applying to do the training and this is not a
reason not to begin the application process. However, many
applicants are either in analysis or psychoanalytic
psychotherapy before applying to train as this can be an
important way of helping to decide whether psychoanalytic
training is the right choice for the individual concerned and
can also be helpful in the application process.
Is there an upper or lower age limit for
training?
There are no age restrictions regarding
applications for training.
Are there any essential criteria for
acceptance?
Beyond the requirement that applicants must
have a degree or equivalent, the Institute discourages a
tick-box type approach to applications to train.
Becoming a psychoanalyst is a demanding course of work
and any applicant needs carefully to consider his/her
situation before undertaking such a commitment.
The application process assesses each application
on its merits and seeks to allow consideration of as many
aspects of the application as possible.
How can I know whether I would stand any
chance of being accepted to train?
It is possible to have an informal
discussion with a training analyst over the phone or by email
independent of the application process. If you wish to
do this, contact the Education Officer who will give you the
name and contact details of a training analyst for an informal
discussion.
The first stage of the formal application
process is to send your CV with a covering letter to the
Education Officer. You will then be offered a preliminary
interview with a training analyst who will discuss your CV
with you to help you to make a decision about whether to
proceed with making a formal application.
If I am turned down from the training
can I re-apply?
Following submission of the application
form, the candidate has two personal interviews with senior
analysts and a decision is made by the Admissions Committee
whether to accept the applicant for training. Applicants
who are unsuccessful can, at the discretion of the committee,
re-apply after a further year has elapsed. A total of
three applications is possible.
Will I get feedback about my
interview?
Following the outcome of the application
process, unsuccessful applicants can meet with one of the
analysts who conducted the interview (or another member of the
Admissions Committee if they prefer) for feedback and a full
discussion of the Committee’s decision.
What procedures can
qualified adult psychoanalytic psychotherapists or child
psychotherapists pursue to train as analysts in the British
Psychoanalytic Society?
Adult psychotherapists registered with the
British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC) with appropriate
experience can apply through the New Entry Scheme (NES).
Further details can be obtained from the Education
Officer.
At present there
are no exemptions or modifications to the training for child psychotherapists.
Costs
Isn’t it true that the training at the
Institute is very expensive and costs much more than training
as a psychotherapist? What are the costs of training?
The main cost of the training is the
training analysis. In addition there are fees for
seminars and supervision. The requirement of the
Institute of Psychoanalysis is for trainees to be in five
times a week psychoanalysis. Psychoanalytic
psychotherapy training organisations may require less
intensive therapy or analysis (although trainees are often
encouraged to undergo 4 or 5 times weekly analysis) which may
be cheaper. However this difference is partially offset
by the fees for seminars at the Institute (currently £450 per
year) which are significantly lower than for most
psychotherapy trainings.
Is there any financial help
available?
There is financial support available
through a loan scheme. All students are eligible to apply for
a loan (of up to a maximum of £15 000). The loan is provided
on very favourable financial terms (payable interest free
within seven years of qualification).
Analysis
What does a ‘training analyst’
mean?
A training analyst is a senior analyst who,
by virtue of his/her experience, has been considered
sufficiently expert to undertake the analysis of candidates
wishing to complete training as a psychoanalyst. In order to
undertake the training, trainees must be in analysis with a
training analyst approved by the Institute of Psychoanalysis.
Training analysts also provide supervision for students’
training cases.
How do I go about finding a training
analyst?
The Education Officer of the Institute has
a list of training analysts and can put you in contact with
analysts who you can consult with a view to seeking an
analysis. The arrangement and fee for your analysis is a
private arrangement between the individual and the training
analyst.
How long does the
training analysis last?
All students are required
to have been in five times a week analysis with a training
analyst of the British Psychoanalytic Society for a minimum of
a year before starting lectures and seminars and for the
duration of the training.
What can I do if I am
in analysis but my analyst is not a training
analyst?
You should discuss your
position with your analyst so that you can consider what steps
you might take. Before being able to start the training it is
likely that you would need to arrange to work to end your
analysis before starting with a training analyst.
Practicalities
What sort of time input is
required?
The amount of time required for the
training differs at different times in the course of the
training. In addition to the trainee’s personal analysis (five
times a week for 50 minutes), the first year of training
comprises seminars on two or three evenings of the week in
addition to an hour of infant observation. Subsequent
years usually involve seminars on one to three evenings a
week. In addition, usually from the second year onward
there is the time commitment of seeing the first training
patient and subsequently the second training patient (each
five times a week) plus weekly supervision for each training
patient. Whilst the number of hours differs slightly
from year to year, it may be sufficiently high to allow trainees
to register as students for the purposes of Council Tax and
therefore be eligible for a 25%
discount. Please note
that the Institute will provide a letter stating how many
hours you work, the local authority will then decide as to
whether to grant an exemption.
I have a family and a busy job – how can
I possibly find the time to train?
This is an important question asked by many
people thinking of applying to the training. Whilst the
demands of the training are high, there is also a fair amount
of flexibility that enables students to plan the training to
fit in with their particular circumstances. Some
students spread the seminars over a longer period, or attend
weekend seminars, so that they spend fewer evenings at
seminars during the week. However it is not possible to
complete the training only through weekend seminars. In
reality, trainees, many of whom are working full time
alongside the training, do manage to find the time to meet all
the requirements even though initially this may seem
impossible!
Do people take time out to have
babies?
Yes. The training is flexible enough to
accommodate the arrival of children and support is
provided to
enable parents to plan the subsequent structure of the
training.
Is it possible to train from outside
London?
Yes, and applicants from outside London are
welcome although there are significant challenges and it may
not yet be possible for students to train from all regions
throughout the UK. There are currently students training
who live as far from London as Manchester and Sheffield.
The Institute will help any applicants living outside London
to consider how they might find a training analyst (there is a
small but increasing number of training analysts living
outside London). It is possible to do seminars via
teleconferencing facilities to enable students outside London
to avoid the necessity of frequent travel.
How long does the training take?
The average duration for completion of the
training is four to five years. Some trainees manage to
complete it in a shorter time (three years) and others may
take longer perhaps because of events such as having
children.
Curriculum and
assessment
What is the range of psychoanalytic
theory taught?
Training at the Institute of Psychoanalysis
is founded on the work of Sigmund Freud and covers the major
schools of psychoanalysis in Britain; Contemporary Freudian,
Kleinian and Independent. The Institute also links with
European and worldwide psychoanalytic societies and there are
opportunities for training with students from other countries
at international conferences.
Is the training old
fashioned and rigid?
The training is based on
the teachings of Sigmund Freud – it is unapologetically
Freudian. Drawing on this core of theory the BPAS is home to
some of the foremost international thinkers working as
psychoanalysts. Their work in developing contemporary theory
ensures that clinical practice is inspiring and alive. The
training is anything but old fashioned but aspires to be
rigorous and disciplined.
Are written
papers required?
The only
formally assessed written paper required for the training is
at the end of the course on Infant Observation.
What is the purpose of
infant observation?
During the first year of
training students make weekly visits to observe a mother and
baby and participate in a weekly seminar to discuss their
observations. The experience provides the opportunity to
develop observational technique, to gain a theoretical and
clinical understanding of the emotional development of
infants, and enhances clinical practice in a variety of
ways.
Is it possible to overlap with Child
Analytic Training?
Training to become a child analyst can be
combined as part of the post qualification course to become a
Fellow of the Institute. It is not part of the initial
training to become a psychoanalyst but it is possible to start
the child training after commencement of the second adult
training case, provided the Education Committee is satisfied
that the adult training is proceeding
satisfactorily.
What is needed for qualification? How
are trainees assessed?
The major components of the training
are:
-
One year of infant observation followed by an
assessed written paper.
-
Completion of a number of compulsory and
optional theoretical and clinical seminars.
-
The supervised analysis of two training cases
over the course of a minimum of two years and one year
respectively, each five times a week.
-
A personal training analysis (not part of the
assessment).
Progress at all stages of the training is
dependent on the recommendation of the Student Progress
Committee. In the early stages the feedback of seminar
leaders is important. In the later stages the assessment
of the two supervisors carries particular weight.
Feedback reports are provided by each seminar leader for all
seminars attended by the trainee. Supervisors provide
six-monthly reports. The student’s Progress Advisor
collates all reports and discusses these regularly with the
trainee. Once all required components of the training are
completed, the Student Progress Committee and the Education
Committee consider all reports and decide on whether the
trainee has developed to a point at which s/he can be
recommended to qualify as a psychoanalyst.
June 2007