Training Guide and Admission Notice from IPA Study Group of China

The First Edition

1. Training background

 The International Psychoanalysis Association (the IPA), was founded in 1910 by Freud and his colleagues. The IPA is an international academic organization and the leading certification and regulatory body for psychoanalysts in the world. Its purpose is to help psychoanalysts in different countries establish connections, promote academic exchanges, and enhance their members' sense of participation and belonging to international psychoanalytic organizations and societies. Its purpose is to develop and practice psychoanalysis.

In 2008, the IPA began to select, train and recommend direct IPA direct members in China through the IPA China Committee, which was handed over to IPA Study Group of China after its establishment in 2021 and it will be conducted under the guidance of the IPA Sponsor Committee of China until the establishment of the IPA China Psychoanalysis Society. IPA Study Group of China will train the candidates by following the training criteria adopted by the IPA, which includes three elements: personal analysis, theoretical learning, and case supervision.

This guide has made appropriate adjustments according to China's national conditions, and may also be changed over the course of the development of psychoanalytic training in China. Applicants should take the latest edition as the reference standard. The final interpretation of this guide is reserved by IPA Study Group of China.

 

2. Training guide

2.1 Personal analysis

 Candidates are required to undergo personal psychoanalysis to assist in the formation and development of their analytical abilities.

2.1.1 Candidates can choose their own training analyst according to their own needs, and then report to the Study Group of China. The training analysts must be IPA-accredited training analysts. The Study Group will provide a list for reference.

2.1.2 Personal analysis with a training analyst is recommended for 4 sessions a week,45 minutes or 50 minutes per session, generally for no less than 40 weeks a year. Any deviation from this analysis should be approved by the Study Group of China. (If the candidate's analyst is abroad, the candidate may conduct the sessions in an IPA-approved online or offline way, but for no less than 100 sessions per year. Four years in a row.)

2.1.3 It is recommended that all candidates continue personal analysis until the second controlled case has progressed satisfactorily and been approved by the IPA Sponsor Committee of China and the Study Group of China. If the candidate is to conclude the analysis, it should be after discussion and negotiation with the training analyst, and in principle needs to be to the extent that he/she is able to conduct internal self-analysis. The Study Group will fully respect the candidates and their analysts.

2.1.4 The Study Group will fully respect the independence and privacy of the work between the candidate and his/her analyst, and there will be no communication of any kind between the Study Group and the training analyst regarding the candidate's analysis. The exception is that the training analyst should report to the Study Group at the beginning and end of the analysis.

2.1.5 Unnecessary social contact between candidates and training analysts should be avoided. Contacts related to training and conferences may be allowed, but candidates can decide whether to participate in these related activities according to their own wishes.

2.1.6 Special circumstances: At present, the Study Group accepts shuttle analysis or centralized analysis of the candidate as part or all of the personal analysis. There should be no less than 100 ground sessions per year in these analyses. To ensure the security of the analysis process, it is recommended that the analysis be conducted on the Internet or telephone during the shuttle. This requirement can be implemented flexibly based on the actual conditions of candidates and training analysts.

 

2.2 Courses, seminars, and ancillary courses

 Candidates are required to complete at least 400 hours of theoretical study and clinical seminars in 4/5 years in order to develop a thorough understanding of theoretical concepts of psychoanalysis and enhance their clinical competence.

2.2.1 Candidates need to begin their theoretical study after completing at least one year of personal analysis.

2.2.2 Theory courses and seminars will be held in accordance with the course schedule. Candidates need to ensure that they can participate and complete the course on time. If they are absent for any reason, they must ask for leave. In principle, the attendance rate should not be less than 90%. In addition, if there are special circumstances, they need to report to the Study Group.

2.2.3 Candidates must read the assigned papers before the seminar and actively participate in the discussion at the seminar.

2.2.4 When the course starts, the team will automatically generate the team leader, who will coordinate and organize the report content and clinical cases of the students.

2.2.5, All faculty members will be assigned by the IPA Sponsor Committee of China and the Study Group of China.

2.2.6 Candidates should actively participate in various international conferences, webinars and other academic exchanges organized by the IPA.

 

2.3 Control cases and supervision

Candidates will need to complete two separate control cases under the supervision of the two IPA supervisors, and the Study Group of China will provide a list of supervisors for choosing. If the candidate has chosen his or her own personal supervisor, the process need to be approved by the Study Group of China.

2.3.1 Candidates may initiate control cases after completing the first year of theoretical study and continuing personal analysis for two years.

2.3.2 With the approval of the IPA Sponsor Committee of China and the Study Group of China, the candidate may then begin discussions with the supervisor on possible control cases. If the supervisor considers the case appropriate, the candidate should then write to the Study Group to report.

2.3.3 Control cases are required to have a total of two, one for two years (more than), one for one year (more than), each controlled case 4 sessions a week, must be face-to-face, through the recliner.

2.3.3 Both cases are subject to the supervision of the IPA approved supervisor once a week, and they can negotiate with the supervisor whether to continue after the completion of the controlled case.

2.3.4 One year after the first controlled case, the candidate shall submit a progress report to the Study Group after the discussion with the supervisor. When approved by the study group, the second controlled case can be started.

2.3.5 In principle, the two control cases should be different genders. If no gender-different case has been found after a reasonable period of time, the candidate may apply to the study group for a second case of the same gender.

2.3.6 For each control case, candidate and supervisor both must provide an annual progress report to the IPA Sponsor Committee of China and the Study Group of China. When both cases are completed, a clinical report review also need be provided, and after the approval from the IPA Sponsor Committee of China and the Study Group of China, the thesis writing of the candidate can begin.

 

2.4 Graduation requirements and clinical thesis

 After completing all the requirements of theoretical study, control cases and personal analysis, candidates can begin to write clinical thesis after approval by the IPA Sponsor Committee of China and the Study Group of China and will be required to submit it at the end.

2.4.1 Candidates are required to complete all theoretical and seminar studies lasting 4 or 5 years.

2.4.2 Candidates are required to complete two control cases and make satisfactory progress, which are reviewed by the IPA Sponsor Committee of China and the Study Group of China.

2.4.3 Candidates are required to complete a personal analysis lasting at least 4 years. The study group respects the candidate's decision whether to continue the personal analysis after the training.

2.4.4 Candidates should write a psychoanalytical graduation thesis based on control cases and clinical experience under the guidance of a mentor or supervisor.

2.4.5 After the thesis is successfully passed, the candidate can apply for graduation to obtain IPA membership.

 

3. Admission Application and selection

3.1 Application Requirements

3.1.1 Applicants should have a master's degree (or above), including but not limited to medicine, psychology, sociology, anthropology, pedagogy, philosophy, etc.

3.1.2 Applicants should have the legal qualifications to engage in mental health services-related professions in China, including psychiatrists, psychotherapists, psychologists, psychological counselors, social workers, etc.

3.1.3 Applicants should have more than 5 years of clinical work experience.

3.1.4 Applicants should have received at least one systematic training program for psychoanalytical psychotherapy.

3.1.5 Because of the long training period, the applicant must have enough time, energy and resources to devote himself to all the training activities.

3.1.6 Applicants should have good English skills, be able to read, communicate and write in English, and be able to accept personal analysis and supervision of control cases in English, and complete the thesis in English.

 

3.2 Selection process

3.2.1 The applicant shall submit the application form and relevant supporting documents to the Study Group of China.

3.2.2 Applicants should submit a self-biography of about 1,500 words (a life story).

3.2.2 After the IPA Sponsor Committee of China and the Study Group of China approve the application, two analysts will be arranged to interview the applicant and the results of the interview will be submitted to the IPA Sponsor Committee of China and the Study Group of China for final decision.

3.2.3 The core points of evaluation of applicants include: personality suitable for psychoanalysis work, psychological reflection ability, motivation, education background, relevant training and clinical experience in psychotherapy, participation in local professional groups, the feasibility of all psychoanalysis training, time and economic possibility to complete training, adequate English proficiency, etc.

3.2.4 After the evaluation, the study group will inform the admission results. After passing the admission, personal analysis and theoretical study can be started according to the training plan.

3.2.5 If you have any doubt about the admission result, you can submit objections to the study group. The study group will give feedback based on the review, and may also suggest the applicant to start studying in other programs to prepare for the next application.

 

3.3 Mentor

3.3.1 At the beginning of the study,, the study group will recommend a mentor for the candidates to assist them in their training and learning.

3.3.2 Candidates may regularly meet with their mentors for discussion, including but not limited to study and thesis, and the meetings should be no less than twice a year.

3.3.3 If the candidate finds a new mentor by himself or herself, he or she can submit it to the Study Group of China for approval.

 

3.4 Withdrawal or delay of the training program (initiated by the candidate)

3.4.1 Candidates may opt out of the training course at any stage.

3.4.2 Candidates may request a suspension or postponement of his/her training and should consult his/her mentor and then the study group before making such an application.

3.4.3 If there is any suspension or delay, the candidate should apply to the study group to restart the training. The study group will restart the interview process after receiving the application, and the restart of the training should be decided by the study Group.

3.4.4 If the suspension time is more than two years, the study group will ask the candidate to withdraw and abandon the training plan after communicating with the candidate.

 

3.5 Suspension and termination of training (initiated by the study group)

3.5.1 Candidates shall comply with the relevant standards and codes of conduct established by or approved by the Study Group of China.

3.5.2 When the study group has doubts and serious concerns about the training progress or behavior of the candidates, relevant meetings will be held and put forward suggestions and requirements for candidates.

3.5.3 The candidate has the right to know what the study group expects of him, to know whether he meets the standards, and if not, the study group will give him the opportunity to improve and promote it to an acceptable level.

3.5.4 The Study Group of China will provide the candidates with three opportunities to communicate and improve, and the content of each communication will be kept in the study group in the form of a memorandum.

3.5.5 The IPA Sponsor Committee of China and the Study Group of China may suspend or terminate the training of the candidate in the case of the unsatisfactory results of the three times of the communication. A candidate who has objections may appeal before the final results are issued.

 

4. Ethics codes and obligations

4.1 All candidates should be familiar with and abide by the ethical codes of the IPA and Code of Ethics for Clinical and Counseling Psychology of the Chinese Psychological Association (2nd Edition)(Chinese Psychological Association, 2018), and continue to abide by these codes of Ethics after becoming members.

4.2 Candidates who submit clinical materials should adhere to the principle of confidentiality, and all clinical materials submitted at the seminar shall have no personally identifiable marks, and shall not be discussed outside of the seminar and supervision.

4.3 In conducting online learning, supervision and teaching, candidates should be responsible for choosing and using safe network methods.

4.4 No candidate shall present himself as a qualified psychoanalyst until he becomes a member.

4.5 Candidates with psychoanalyst qualifications are obliged to continue treatment of their training cases until appropriate termination.

4.6 The training may be terminated if the candidate commits illegal or serious ethical misconduct.

 

5. List of Application Materials (Chinese and English)

5.1 Application Form (with personal photo)

5.2 Self-biography

5.3 Academic degree certificate

5.4 Certificate of Professional Qualification

5.5 Training experience certificate

5.6 Letters of recommendation from two referees in the field of psychoanalysis are required in the application materials.