Psychoanalytic Studies Program

Our program is based on deep respect for:

   • the uniqueness of each individual

   • the profound and therapeutic understanding that develops within the long-term collaboration between analyst and patient

   • the analytic principle that the past lives on and is transformed in the present

Thus, we believe that preparation for providing analytic treatments should cultivate a comprehensive ability to think critically and self-reflectively about psychoanalytic theory and practice over time, as it relates to both children and adults.

SDPC provides a Combined Training Program for all qualified individuals interested in academic or clinical training in psychoanalysis. All candidates participate in the same courses, but the duration and requirements of the programs differ. Those interested in the academic track may complete either a two-year or four-year program of courses. Those interested in the psychotherapy track will complete the two-year program of courses, along with additional clinical requirements, to graduate with a certificate in psychoanalytic psychotherapy, while those interested in the psychoanalytic track will continue to complete five years of coursework, plus additional clinical requirements, in order to graduate from the child and adult psychoanalytic program. Psychoanalytic training is a comprehensive life experience, involving new learning, new personal insights and new connections with professional colleagues.

We offer training for those interested in the academic or clinical tracks. Those interested in the academic track may complete the two- or four-year programs. Those interested in the clinical track must be  licensed mental health professionals and will be trained in the theory and practice of psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic psychotherapy, with programs designed to meet their particular interests and enhance their professional skills and practice – all in the context of a welcoming and supportive community. Candidates may complete the two-year psychoanalytic psychotherapy program, as well as the clinical requirements and graduate with a certificate in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, or continue to complete the five-year child & adult psychoanalytic program as well as the additional clinical requirements.

Prerequisites and expectations of each program are listed below.

Clinical Tracks

The 2-year Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Program

Candidates can apply to the two-year psychoanalytic psychotherapy program which includes classes and case seminars.  Successful completion of the two years of classes, as well as completion of required clinical work under supervision and personal treatment as below, will lead to a certificate in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy from SDPC.

The Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Training Program is intended for clinicians who wish to acquire expertise in psychoanalytically oriented psychotherapy (intensive face-to-face psychotherapy), and to apply a psychodynamic perspective to clinical work in all treatment settings  In this training program, candidates will investigate the mind from the perspectives of current psychoanalytic theories of normal and pathological development and function.  They will explore how the developing individual acquires the capacity to know and care for others, attains a gender identity, develops standards and ideals, and balances working, loving, and living throughout the life cycle. 

Application requirements:  Applicants should be licensed professionals in the state of California; exceptions require a waiver. The application process includes letters of reference and faculty interviews.

Course Content:  The coursework for the psychoanalytic psychotherapy program is now exactly the same as the first two years’ curriculum for the psychoanalytic training program, and candidates in both programs attend classes together.

Concurrent Consultation:  Psychotherapy candidates will participate in individual case consultation during the two-year program.  Consultants are chosen from the SDPC faculty; consultation with non-faculty consultants requires a waiver.  Fifty hours of consultation are required for completion of the program.  Consultation hours are divided among at least two different consultants.  Consultation is best utilized to address intensive individual therapy cases in the psychotherapy candidate’s caseload, but it may also be applied to other types of clinical work performed by the candidate.  The cost of consultation is not included in tuition fees.

Personal Treatment:  Psychotherapy candidates are required to engage in their own personal psychoanalysis or psychoanalytic psychotherapy.  Intensive psychodynamic work with patients typically calls for the therapist to have a level of self-knowledge that is best attained with the assistance of intensive personal psychoanalytic therapy. The cost of personal treatment is not included in tuition fees.

The Integrated Child & Adult Psychoanalytic Training Program (5-years)

The Child & Adult Psychoanalytic Training program is integrated within the Psychoanalytic Training Program. Candidates in the 5-year combined Child and Adult Psychoanalytic program will all have completed the coursework for child, adolescent, or adult psychoanalytic training.  The controlling element in whether they graduate as a child, adolescent or adult psychoanalyst depends on the number of control cases they complete in each area. The curriculum may include seminars taught by a child and an adult analyst, as well as readings from both fields. Our focus is on the development of mental and emotional functioning throughout the life cycle, as well as its implications for clinical technique. Whenever possible, material drawn from child analysis is integrated with that of adults, enriching our understanding and work with all age groups.

This training program requires a total of five years of classes and case seminars in addition to candidates conducting psychoanalysis under supervision. Candidates are also required to enter into their own psychoanalysis with a Training Analyst on the faculty of SDPC, in order to learn about psychoanalysis experientially, as well as to prepare for the challenges of analyzing their own patients. Candidates will be matched with a clinical mentor.  

• Goal: to develop psychoanalytic competence and a psychoanalytic identity, i.e., an intellectual and emotional openness toward understanding the full complexity of the human mind, its development, and its expression in the world, particularly in relationships.
• Method: A balance among three basic components, referred to as the tripartite model of analytic training: a personal analysis, a didactic curriculum, and supervised clinical experience. All three elements influence, clarify, and enhance each other. This “immersion” creates a multi-dimensional and comprehensive experience which has the intensity of personal involvement, depth of understanding and therapeutic conviction that underlies a psychoanalytic identity.
• Application requirements:  Applicants should be licensed professionals in the state of California; exceptions require a waiver. The application process includes letters of reference and faculty interviews.

Course Content:  The coursework for the psychoanalytic program is completed together with candidates in the psychotherapy program for the first two years. Those in the analytic program will complete two more years of classes and case seminars, as well as a fifth year of continuous case seminar.

The curriculum is the interface of clinical situations and theoretical concepts:

• Our theory informs our work, and our work enriches our understanding of the theory - or leads to its further evolution. 
• Five basic tracks: Psychoanalytic Theory, Psychopathology, Development, Treatment and Technique, Psychoanalytic Writing.
• Seminars held Wednesdays 10:00 am - 2:30 pm, 2 per week in a trimester format.
• Formally completed in four years, but candidates continue to participate in a limited schedule of elective seminars, clinical case conferences or co-teaching experiences until all requirements for graduation are fulfilled. 

Supervision: Candidates select a supervisor from the list of Training and Supervising Analysts soon after they are accepted into the program. Here, they can discuss their current caseloads, begin to think psychoanalytically about them, and consider possible conversions to psychoanalysis.

It is recommended that candidates have psychoanalytic experience with a number and variety of types of patients in order to develop the competence needed to conduct psychoanalysis independently.  In keeping with APsaA Standards, the  minimal requirement is three adult non-psychotic cases, including patients of each sex, a minimum of 50 supervisory hours per case, and a total of at least 200 supervisory hours. Every case should be supervised weekly for at least one year, and each candidate must have at least three different supervisory analysts. Candidates may change supervisors with no loss of supervisory hours or any other prejudice. 

The context for learning how to successfully use the psychoanalytic method, supervision develops skills in: 

• Diagnosis 
• Case selection
• Assessment of analyzability and suitability for psychoanalysis
• Establishing and nurturing the psychoanalytic process
• Working flexibly and responsibly in keeping with the Practice Guidelines and Principles of Ethics of the APsaA
• Recognizing the ways in which psychoanalytic technique may be distinguished from the techniques used in psychotherapy or modified psychoanalytic treatment
• Furthering the development of an analytic process
• Recognizing transference, countertransference, resistances to learning
• Conceptualizing and writing about the psychoanalytic work
• Supervision consolidates a personal psychoanalytic identity through integration with the personal analysis and didactic course work.

Personal psychoanalysis: This is the foundation of psychoanalytic education and it is:

• Entirely confidential and not directly considered in the evaluation of candidate progression.
• Fundamental in developing the capacities for self-reflection, self-observation, and ultimately self-analysis
• Provides a deep understanding of analytic process and the impact of analysis upon patients.
• Fosters the capacity to examine and understand countertransference reactions, to develop insight into one’s own unconscious processes so as to appreciate those of others, and to perform analytic work as effectively as possible.
• The personal analysis with a Training Analyst must begin within a year of acceptance, and at least six months before starting treatment of control cases in psychoanalysis. Selection of an analyst should be made from a roster provided by the Education Committee, but is otherwise entirely the responsibility and prerogative of the candidate
• To optimize the potential for the fullest psychoanalytic experience, and In accordance with the minimal standards of the American Psycho­analytic Association, the personal analysis should be conducted four or five times a week through termination, except when special considerations require temporary interruption or alterations of frequency.
• Although the decision to termi­nate the analysis is made between the candidate and analyst within the psychoanalytic process, the personal analysis is expected to continue well into the supervision of clinical work.

Academic Tracks

Two-year Program

Application requirements:  Applicants are not required to have mental health related education or training. Application process includes letters of reference and faculty interviews.

Course Content:  The coursework for the academic track is the same as the first two years’ curriculum of the clinical track and candidates in all tracks attend classes together.

Personal Treatment:  Academic candidates are required to engage in their own personal twice a week psychoanalytic psychotherapy and encouraged to seek psychoanalysis.  The cost of personal treatment is not included in tuition fees.

Four-year Program

Application requirements:  Applicants are not required to have mental health related education or training. Application process includes letters of reference and faculty interviews.

Course Content:  The coursework for the academic track is the same as the first four years’ curriculum of the clinical track and candidates in all tracks attend classes together. These candidates graduate following completion of the four year curriculum of courses.

Personal Treatment:  Academic candidates are required to engage in their own personal twice a week psychoanalytic psychotherapy and encouraged to seek psychoanalysis.  The cost of personal treatment is not included in tuition fees.

To Graduate as a Child Analyst

• Candidates complete existing curriculum
• Completion of courses through the consortium is recommended (optional)
• Required cases for graduation: three supervised cases (one of each gender and of two different age groups)]
• In order to graduate from both the child and adult analytic training programs, Candidates must complete 3 child cases and 2 adult cases

*Please note that if using an adolescent case, the supervisor must be a child supervisor. Also, two child cases can count as an adult in terms of graduation.

2022-23 Tuition Rates

Years 1-4: $2,500/year

Years 5 and Up: $1,250/year

Please contact our Director of Admissions for questions about the application process: admissions@sdpsychoanalytic.org

SDPC is affiliated with the American Psychoanalytic Association and the International Psychoanalytic Association and is accredited by the California Medical Association and the California Association for Marriage and Family Therapists.