Certificate Programs in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy (Couples)

Psychoanalytic Couples Therapy is a rewarding area of clinical practice, but it can be challenging. This training is geared for licensed professionals (or the equivalent) who desire advanced training in the psychoanalytic approach to couples treatment.

The didactic content of this course series covers:

  • Assessment and consultation
  • Establishing and maintaining a couple perspective in treatment
  • Utilizing the therapist’s countertransference
  • Polarizing identifications
  • Projection and projective identification
  • Aggression in couples
  • Differing degrees of motivation for treatment
  • Couples with trauma histories
  • Diversity issues

Courses

All courses are analyst led. The courses and case discussions give participants the opportunity to present and discuss cases and think collaboratively with other student clinicians. This one year course series is primarily targeted for those psychotherapists seeing couples in treatment and wanting to develop a psychoanalytic approach to their work with couples.

Clinical Issues (30 weeks)

Clinical Issues I – Introduction to the Psychoanalytic Setting

Clinical Issues II – Transference, Countertransference, Unconscious Experience

Clinical Issues III – The Psychoanalytic Frame and Boundary Dilemmas

Introduction to Psychoanalytic Couples Therapy (10 weeks)

This course includes an introduction to the theoretical underpinnings of Psychoanalytic Couples Therapy, assessment in the first meeting and throughout the treatment, understanding the dynamics of love and hate, developing and holding a couple state of mind, creating containment, unconscious beliefs and tensions, transference/countertransference, projective identification and projective gridlock, technique, and enactments. In particular, through discussion of seminal readings from the Tavistock Institute for Marital Studies, an understanding of the internal world and experience of the couple and how as clinicians we might facilitate growth and intimacy in our work with them.

Special Topics in Psychoanalytic Couples Therapy (10 weeks)

This course of study involves theoretical aspects of psychodynamic work with couples facing unique interpersonal conflicts and the challenges these conflicts may bring to our clinical work. Some of these challenges include anger and aggression, changing marital roles, aging, loss and mourning, child rearing, and childlessness. The format of the course will involve didactic presentation with group discussion of articles in order to best apply them to our work with couples. Discourse will be highlighted by confidential sharing and discussion of clinical case material presented by both the instructor and students.

Psychoanalytic Couples Therapy – Case Discussion (10 weeks)

The clinical case discussion is at the heart of learning to work effectively with couples in the practice setting. Students will have the opportunity to integrate theory and practice, considering what it means to think critically and function effectively as psychoanalytic couples psychotherapists.

Start your application today.

Are you ready to make a profound impact on your life and the lives of others? Don’t miss this opportunity to become a skilled psychoanalyst. Apply now and take the first step towards a rewarding and fulfilling career.

Psychologists, MFTs and LCSWs:  The Newport Psychoanalytic Institute is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Newport Psychoanalytic Institute maintains responsibility for this course series and its content. Full attendance is required for psychologists to receive credit; partial credit may not be awarded based on APA guidelines.   This course series does not have any commercial support interest for sponsors, instructors, content of instruction, or any other relationship that could reasonably be construed as a conflict of interest.