MIP regards the personal analysis as a vital part of a candidate’s clinical training. Because MIP does not have a training analyst system, candidates may freely select a psychoanalyst who has graduated from a qualified analytic training program who is in good ethical standing and who meets the approval of the MIP Training Committee. Since the privacy of the treatment is deeply respected, the personal analyst does not report to the Institute. Candidates are required to be in a 4 times per week analysis to begin their supervised analytic cases. Occasionally, a candidate begins MIP’s program after having recently completed an analysis (within the past 5 years).  If that analysis meets MIP’s criteria, then that candidate will have the option of being in a reduced frequency treatment of at least twice per week during training instead of an analysis.

Three supervised analytic cases are required for graduation. Two of the analytic patients are traditional analytic cases. The third analytic case may be a traditional analysis or a “non-traditional case” with modified parameters (see the description below for Non-traditional Case). A total of 200 hours of supervision is required to graduate. As we do not have a group of designated training and supervising analysts, our students are free to choose their supervisors from a large range of analysts both local and international.

The candidate may begin to conduct analyses under supervision with the approval of the Candidate Advisory Committee (CAC) once a personal analysis has either begun or earlier personal analysis has met the requirement. Supervisors are chosen by the candidate and approved by the Training Committee. In general, MIP encourages the choice of supervisors from different theoretical persuasions in order to have a fully comparative experience.

The Non-Traditional Case: As one of their supervised control cases, MIP candidates are encouraged to consider working with someone who will expand their experience and potentially contribute to thinking about who can be treated in psychoanalysis and how less traditional ways of working may be creatively understood and framed. Modifications of the frame, such as the frequency of meetings will be guided entirely by what is clinically feasible with this individual—perhaps more meetings, perhaps fewer. This “non-traditional” case may differ in terms of diagnosis, of conceptions about who is “analyzable,” and what those terms mean. The evolving meaning of these variations can then be shared, discussed and further understood in MIP clinical seminars.

MIP offers many opportunities for further learning and specialization beyond the core 4-year curriculum. The Training Program in Psychoanalysis offers specialized weekend workshops to candidates throughout their 4 years. Required courses include: Infant Research, the work of Beatrice Beebe, Development, taught by Norka Malberg, a course on D.W. Winnicott and a course on Ethics. In addition, candidates are required to take three additional MIP Continuing Education courses offered through our Psychoanalytic Dimensions catalog which are offered throughout the year.

For the Final Project, each candidate is required to choose a topic of theoretical or clinical interest to develop and write an expression of his/her own creative involvement with psychoanalysis. Topics chosen have been highly varied and are always tailored to individual interests. While some projects are written (e.g., paper for publication), others are taught (e.g., teaching a “Psychoanalytic Dimensions” course). The Institute is open to creative and different modes of expression in the final project. The project is developed and presented to the Candidate Advisory Committee as a culmination of candidates’ training. Many projects have been subsequently published.

The Candidate Advisory Committee (CAC) is comprised of all three Supervisors, an appointed Liaison to the MIP Training Committee, and an Advisor if the candidate wishes to include one. The committee meets annually to discuss and promote the candidate’s progress during his or her training experience, to review ongoing cases, and to support the final project. The annual meeting is an opportunity for candidates to talk about their experiences both educationally and clinically and to invite the “team” to partner with them in setting further training-related goals.

Two core curriculum courses per academic year are eligible for 15 CEUs, CMEs, or CEs each. Courses taken through Psychoanalytic Dimensions are eligible for additional continuing education credits. Upon completion of the full training program, qualifying candidates can anticipate at least 132 credits.

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.

Massachusetts Institute for Psychoanalysis (MIP) is fully committed to conducting all activities in strict conformance with the ethical principles and guidelines of the American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association, and the National Association of Social Workers.