Training

The Society provides two training courses, one to qualify as psychoanalysts that meet the standards of the International psychoanalytic Association, and the other, to become psychoanalytic psychotherapists certified by the Japanese Psychoanalytic Society. Actual training is done at the Psychoanalytic Institute set up under the Education and Training Committee.

Objectives

The objectives of the training course for psychoanalysts are to endow enrollees with the knowledge and ability required for clinical practices and the creative pursuit of psychoanalytic studies, and to help them establish an identity as psychoanalysts that comply with international standards. The course for psychoanalytic psychotherapists is designed to provide them with the knowledge and ability appropriate for studying and practicing psychoanalytic psychotherapy and to help them establish an identity as psychoanalytic psychotherapists.

Application and acceptance

Those wishing to undergo training to become either psychoanalysts or psychoanalytic psychotherapists must fulfill the following minimum requirements :
they have graduated from a university`s school of medicine or have completed a master`s degree program at a graduate school ,and have subsequently accumulated five or more years of clinical experience. To be accepted, they must first be interviewed by two psychoanalysts officially approved by the Japanese Psychoanalytic Society. Then, they must undergo examining analysis for one year by the training analysts officially approved by the Society: psychoanalyst candidates four times a week or more, and psychoanalytic psychotherapist students once or twice a week or more. Only those judged to have the necessary qualities for the training programs will then be officially accepted and registered as psychoanalyst candidates (hereinafter referred to as candidates) and psychoanalytic psychotherapist students (hereinafter referred to as students) after the approval of the Education and Training Committee.

Programs

The training courses consist of the following three programs.

1Training analysis

Those registered are required to undergo personal analysis by training analysts officially recognized by the Society: candidates, four times a week or more, and students once a week or more. Most of these sessions continue for more than two years and not infrequently for more than five. The experience will contribute to a smoother and flexible communication with the unconscious of one's self and help cultivate the ability to face and continually embrace the various mental realities that unfold in the unconscious. Apart from technical knowledge, that ability is the most important and fundamental quality required of psychoanalytic clinicians, who offer their own minds to therapeutic activities.

2Supervision

Candidates and students will be required to receive and complete at least two acceptable supervisions of psychoanalytic treatment of adults during the training period. The proffered treatment should be conducted at least four times a week in the case of candidates and once a week in the case of students. Each supervision should continue for at least two years with a frequency of supervisory session of at least once a week during the first year.
Supervision should be conducted by supervisors officially recognized by the Society.

3Seminars

Candidates and students are required to attend seminars on psychoanalytic theories and techniques planned by the Education and Training Committee.

Qualifying for certification

Candidates and students who have completed the required training shall submit documents and forms concerning their training and studies, and apply for certification to the Selection Committee. The report of the Education and Training Committee on training performances will also be taken into account. Candidates who have passed the examination by their papers and the interview conducted by two committee members will be given qualification as a psychoanalyst and registered as an associate member of the Japanese Psychoanalytic Society and the International psychoanalytic Association. Students who have passed similar examinations will be certified as psychoanalytic psychotherapists by the Japanese Psychoanalytic Society.
Associate members, after two years or more have elapsed since the qualification, and when they have made noteworthy research achievements, are recognized as having ample experience and ability as a psychoanalyst, and are regarded to possess the capacity as educator in the field, shall be registered as a full member of the Japanese Psychoanalytic Society and the International psychoanalytic Association.