Stechler Child and Adolescent Therapy Fellowship
The Stechler Child and Adolescent Therapy Fellowship is a one-year training program for early to mid-career mental health professionals interested in psychodynamic approaches to child and adolescent psychotherapy and for experienced professionals seeking to expand their work. Unique to the Boston area, it offers a novel framework integrating more contemporary and progressive psychodynamic models relevant to today’s clinical dilemmas, and it is more accessible and “user-friendly” for clinicians than a strictly classical model. It is designed to help clinicians master the inherent challenges of working with children and teens to broaden and expand clinical understanding and introduce a repertoire of technical approaches for this challenging work.
CURRICULUM OVERVIEW
The fellowship is 24 sessions and covers the major topics in child and adolescent psychodynamic psychotherapy. Five didactic units which also incorporate clinical components.
SCHEDULE & LOCATION
Classes meet Monday evenings from 7:30-9:30 pm during the academic year. The fellowship has been meeting virtually since 2020.
WHO CAN APPLY?
We welcome applications from early to mid-career mental health professionals interested in psychodynamic approaches to child and adolescent psychotherapy and experienced professionals seeking to expand their work.
TUITION & FEES
Tuition for the 2026/27 fellowship is $1850 ($925 per semester). A $25 fee is due with a completed application. Need-based scholarships are available.
Curriculum
The Stechler Child and Adolescent Therapy Fellowship offers an in-depth exploration of key topics in child and adolescent treatment and equips clinicians with the tools and knowledge to effectively address common yet challenging clinical dilemmas. The program integrates contemporary and progressive psychodynamic models, making it more accessible and user-friendly for clinicians than traditional counterparts.
Participants will benefit from a broadening and expansion of clinical understanding, an array of technical tools, and a supportive and collegial atmosphere that promotes professional development while engaging in the complex and rewarding work of child and adolescent therapy.
Issues of race, culture, and gender have been integrated throughout our overall curriculum. This is part of our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion at MIP.
FIRST UNIT
Initial Evaluation and the Beginning of Treatment
SECOND UNIT
Technique in Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy
THIRD UNIT
Infant Research
FOURTH UNIT
Working with Parents
FIFTH UNIT
The Child at School
Additional Fellowship Details
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The fellowship offers an open, flexible, and accessible theoretical and clinical framework. This more contemporary model nevertheless incorporates some classical ways of thinking, including focusing on the therapeutic relationship as a major avenue for change, and that surface-level issues can conceal underlying concerns that need to be addressed.
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The acquisition of clinical skills and theory applicable to clinical work with children and adolescents, including play therapy, working with parents, engaging with schools, addressing the specific issues involved with adolescents, and understanding and working with young people who have atypical cognitive or other developmental characteristics.
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This fellowship is approved for 48 continuing education credits for physicians, psychologists, social workers and licensed mental health counselors.
Per APA requirements, psychologists must attend 100% of a course in order to be eligible for continuing education credit. Per NASW requirements, social workers must attend 80% of a course in order to be eligible for continuing education credit.
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MIP fellows automatically become members of MIP during their Fellowship and have the benefit of reduced membership fees for two years following completion of the program. As MIP members, fellows are able to participate with other MIP members in short courses held during the winter, to utilize MIP referral lists and to vote in MIP elections.
Stechler Fellowship Faculty
Admissions
ADMISSION DEADLINE
July 15, 2026
Applications are rolling and reviewed as they are received. Final decisions will be made by August 1st.
ADMISSIONS MATERIALS
All applications must include:
Completed application with all supporting materials (CV, Personal Statement, 2 Letters of Reference, and optional Scholarship Requests)
Personal Interview
$25.00 Application Fee
TUITION ASSISTANCE
A small amount of funds are available to help reduce the cost of tuition for those applicants who have a financial need. Requests for tuition remission will be considered separately from the admissions process and will have no bearing on admission. Tuition assistance requests should be submitted when you apply.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
Please note that we are a small institute and are not SEVP-certified. Unfortunately, we are unable to assist international students in obtaining a visa.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
If you would like to speak with someone regarding the Stechler Fellowship or about the admissions process, application, and interviews, please contact us or download our digital brochure.
The Massachusetts Institute for Psychoanalysis has a strong and consistent commitment to equal opportunity and does not discriminate in any of its policies on the basis of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identification, nationality, race, religion, and sexual orientation.
Training and Education at MIP
Four-Year Training Program in Psychoanalysis
Train in our unique program of in-depth study in comparative psychoanalysis, both theory & practice. In addition to our academic and clinical courses, candidates are free to choose their clinical supervisors & personal analysts.
Postgraduate Fellowship Program – Boston
The MIP Postgraduate Fellowship Program is a one-year program for mental health providers and scholars designed as a broad introduction to a range of psychoanalytic approaches and clinical applications.
Stechler Child & Adolescent Therapy Fellowship
The Stechler fellowship is a one-year postgraduate program covering topics in child and adolescent psychotherapy designed to help clinicians master the inherent challenges of working with children.
Postgraduate Fellowship Program – Western Mass
This one-year, weekly fellowship in Western Massachusetts' Pioneer Valley region offers mental health providers and scholars the chance to explore diverse psychoanalytic psychotherapy models and theories.
Advanced Candidate Training Program in Psychoanalysis
The Advanced Candidate Training Program in Psychoanalysis is designed for senior clinicians who have already attained substantial psychoanalytic training, in formal or informal ways.
Continuing Education Opportunities at MIP
We provide diverse opportunities for both members and non-members to engage in continuing education. Clinicians, academics, scholars, and anyone interested in comparative psychoanalytic thinking are welcome.