Personal Psychoanalysis
Beginning Personal Analysis
Though a candidate’s personal psychoanalysis is confidential and separate from other aspects of the training program, personal psychoanalysis is considered to be primary to one’s development as a psychoanalyst and must be firmly established prior to starting classes. Accordingly, applicants wishing to begin training in the Fall must be in a personal psychoanalysis with an SFCP-approved Training Analyst – meeting at a frequency of three or more times per week – by the end of the May preceding matriculation, even if the application process is not yet complete. Meeting at higher frequency (four or five times per week) is strongly encouraged whenever feasible to increase depth and immersion.
Choosing a Personal Analyst
It is strongly recommended that you start your personal analysis as soon as you begin considering applying for psychoanalytic training, as it often can take time to locate and arrange a schedule of regular meetings at three or more times per week with an SFCP-approved Training Analyst. For your personal analysis during training, you are free to choose any Training Analyst in the Directory of SFCP Training Analysts.
If you are in treatment (psychotherapy or psychoanalysis) with an analyst at the time of application and wish that analyst to serve as your personal analyst during training, you must provide their name on your Application Form. This information will be detached from your application and will NOT be part of your application process or known to your interviewers unless you choose to disclose it. It will be treated confidentially and viewed only by the PED Chair Beth Steinberg, who is available to discuss your options.
If the analyst with whom you wish to continue treatment during candidacy is not yet an SFCP Training Analyst, the following options are available:
- If your analyst is a member of SFCP, but not yet a Training Analyst at SFCP:
- If your analyst meets requirements, they may apply to become an SFCP Training Analyst via a straightforward and efficient process. They should begin this application process as soon as possible, concurrent with your application to psychoanalytic training, so that their application can be approved in time for you to matriculate (see ‘Applying to Become an SFCP Training Analyst’).
- If your analyst does not yet meet requirements to become an SFCP Training Analyst, you may apply for a waiver that would approve the treatment as a personal analysis for training purposes (see ‘Applying for a Training Analyst Waiver’).
- If your analyst is not an SFCP member but meets requirements to become an SFCP Training Analyst:
- Your analyst may apply to become an SFCP Training Analyst via a straightforward and efficient process. They should begin this application process as soon as possible, concurrent with your application to psychoanalytic training, so that their application can be approved in time for you to matriculate. (see ‘Applying to Become an SFCP Training Analyst’).
- If your analyst does not wish to apply to become an SFCP Training Analyst, you may be able to obtain a waiver that would approve your treatment with them as a personal analysis for training purposes (see ‘Applying for a Training Analyst Waiver’).
If any of the above circumstances apply, it is recommended that you and/or your analyst contact the Training Analyst Committee Chair Michael Donner, PhD (mbds@sbcglobal.net) as soon as possible to address any questions confidentially, and to obtain an application to apply for a waiver or an application for your analyst to become an SFCP Training Analyst.
Disclosing Your Personal Analysis when You Enroll
If your application is accepted, and you choose to enroll, you will need to indicate the name of your Training Analyst on your Enrollment Form in May. This information will be treated confidentially and viewed only by PED Chair Beth Steinberg. In addition, in instances where your Training Analyst is teaching a course in your training year, you will need to notify the Curriculum Chair Maria Longuemare that you have a clinical conflict for that course, and a tutorial will be arranged for you. Other than these disclosures, your personal analysis is confidential, and the SFCP Training Analyst reports nothing to the Psychoanalytic Training Program, other than to indicate that the analysis is either continuing or has ended.
Fees for Personal Analysis
Fees are paid directly by the candidate to the Training Analyst. At times, Training Analysts are able and willing to treat candidates at reduced fees, and this possibility is best explored directly between a candidate and a prospective Training Analyst. Some trainees are able to recoup some proportion of their psychoanalytic fees either by declaring them as business expenses on their tax returns or by treating them as medical expenses and seeking insurance reimbursement. Trainees should have the help of a tax professional in deciding how to proceed in this regard.