Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Programs
Training in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
The practice of psychotherapy is a rewarding, but very demanding, occupation. Our patients continually challenge ways of thinking and practicing, which provides endless opportunities for growth and development, but can also leave the practitioner feeling unsure how best to work with the people who have turned to him or her for help. In some cases the work can feel isolating.
The NPI one-year psychodynamic psychotherapy program and the one-year advanced concepts in psychoanalytic psychotherapy aim to help psychotherapists:
- listen to patients in new ways
- recognize the unconscious dynamics in their patients, themselves, and in the therapeutic relationship
- tolerate greater ambiguity in the midst of difficult work
- practice in a deeper, more satisfying way with their patients
- find greater personal satisfaction in their work.
- find a community of open and interested colleagues with whom they can learn and grow
The curriculum is designed to integrate multiple perspectives about classical and contemporary theories of psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic psychotherapy. Didactic seminars in theory and technique and one clinical conference are conducted weekly, on Fridays, throughout three academic trimesters per year.
Didactic Seminars: Didactic seminars explore models of the mind, technique of psychoanalytic psychotherapy, and technical and theoretical aspects of working psychoanalytically.
Theory: Theoretical seminars focus on models of the mind from Freud to the current day, in which intrapsychic processes that shape behavior and symptoms are correlated with biological, psychological and cultural-social factors as well as, affect regulation, developmental theories, dreams and primitive mental states.
Technique: Technique seminars focus on essential elements of the clinical encounter, engagement, frame and boundaries, transference, counter-transference, enactment, and thinking psychoanalytically.
Clinical Experience & Supervision: Psychoanalytic Case Presentation gives participants the opportunity to apply their course work to their own cases in small group presentations to senior NPI faculty members and graduate analysts. Participants are also required to meet with a member of the institute for eight weeks each trimester for individual consultation.
This NPI training program offers courses in both the theory and practice of psychoanalytic psychotherapy. The first year is open to applicants who are interested in understanding psychoanalytic thinking about human development and relationships. Both theoretical and clinical applications are presented concurrently so that students can see how psychoanalytic thought translates into psychotherapy. Students have the option of further training in psychoanalytic study groups and NPI extension courses. For this reason, the topic-oriented courses are designed to articulate with those programs.
One Year Certificate in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy
Program requirements:
Clinical Issues – 30 weeks
Clinical Issues I – Introduction to the Psychoanalytic Setting
Clinical Issues II – Transference, Counter-transference, Unconscious Experience
Clinical Issues III – The Psychoanalytic Frame and Boundary Dilemmas
Models Of the Mind – 20 weeks
Models of the Mind I. – Introduction to Classical, Ego Psychology, Object Relations Theories
Models of the Mind II – Introduction to Self-Psychology, Relational, Intersubjective Theories
Clinical Case Discussion – 10 weeks
One Year Certificate in Advanced Concepts in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy
Program requirements
States of Mind and Body: Dreams and Primitive Mental States – 10 weeks
Analytic Listening – 10 weeks
Psychoanalytic Treatment of Addictions – 10 weeks
Treatment of Trauma – 10 weeks
Psychoanalytic Couples Therapy – 10 weeks
Psychoanalytic Case Discussion – 10 weeks
Applicants must provide documentation of the following:
- License to practice psychotherapy in the State of California. Under certain conditions, license-eligible persons may be accepted for qualified enrollment.
- Minimum age of twenty-five years.
- Submission of completed applications, including official transcripts documenting an earned Master’s degree, three letters of recommendation, curriculum vitae, autobiography, and application fee.
- TOEFL score, if required.
- Two enrollment interviews. A presentation of clinical work is required for one of the interviews.