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Child & Adolescent Psychoanalytic Program through the Western Child Consortium
The Denver Institute for Psychoanalysis began offering child & adolescent training in 1988 and joined the Western Child Consortium in 2014. Two approaches to training are available.
To train individuals to become child & adolescent psychoanalysts, we offer a program based on a three-part model, which includes course work, supervised analysis of clinical cases, and the candidate's personal training analysis. |
Eligibility
The following professions are eligible to apply for child and adolescent psychoanalytic training in either of the two training tracks:
- Doctors of Medicine or of Osteopathic Medicine who have graduated from an accredited medical school or osteopathic school; and have completed or are near completion of a psychiatry residency program.
- Mental health professionals who have completed a doctoral level degree from an accredited mental health program and a minimum of 3,000 hours or two years full time mental health clinical experience post-graduation, including in-patient and/or emergency care experience
- Mental health professionals who have graduated from an accredited masters program which is generally recognized as the highest clinical degree in the field (currently a masters degree in social work, psychiatric nursing, or marriage and family counseling), and have completed at least two additional post- masters degree years of didactic and clinical training including 3000 hours of clinical immersion, 60 post-masters hours of psychodynamic psychotherapy supervision and 60 post-masters hours of psychodynamically oriented coursework and clinical seminars, or a two year organized post-masters psychodynamic psychotherapy program including supervised clinical experience. They must be licensed in the jurisdiction in which they practice, or practice in a jurisdiction in which their practices are exempt from or not regulated by licensure.
- Other persons who qualify under applicable law for admission to a member institute that is authorized within its jurisdiction to offer a training program leading to licensure in psychoanalysis.
All candidates must have previous clinical experience with children and adolescents. At the same time, it is anticipated that there may be candidates without significant child and adolescent experience who wish training in child analysis. It is then the responsibility of the candidate, in consultation with the Child Analysis Committee, to gain adequate experience with children, adolescents, and families to undertake child analytic work.
All applicants for clinical training must (i) have a license recognized by the jurisdiction of their institute that permits the clinical practice of psychoanalysis; or (ii) be in training in a jurisdiction in which the clinical practice of psychoanalysis is exempt from or not regulated by licensure; or (iii) with respect to institutes that are authorized by their jurisdictions to offer training leading to the licensure of graduates in the clinical practice of psychoanalysis, be eligible within that jurisdiction to provide clinical services as part of their institute training prior to beginning training.
Waivers may be needed for those that do not meet the specific qualifications. We encourage you to speak to the Admissions Chair or Program Director and apply early as the process can take a while.
Course Work
The Child & Adolescent program is usually comprised of four years of course work, however, there may be circumstances when the required courses cannot be presented within this time, and an additional year is required. All candidates in the Child & Adolescent, Adult, or Combined analytic programs take the four-year Development and Theory sequences offered on Friday afternoons (12:00-2:30). Courses specific to child & adolescent analytic candidates are offered on Tuesdays (12:00-2:00), and include assessment, psychopathology, theory, technique, work with parents, and continuous case conferences, and cover a minimum of 60 hours per year.
The coursework is divided into four class periods: Development, Theory, Technique, and Case Conference. Over the four years, the candidate’s knowledge in each of these areas grows progressively richer, and the opportunities for discourse deepen.
The Development sequence provides the underpinnings for understanding all of the models presented in the Theory sequence and all of the psychoanalytic theories of therapeutic action. Canddates study the development of self in relation to the object from birth forward, continuing through the entire life cycle.
In the Theory track, psychoanalytic theory is viewed as being in a dynamic state with no single psychoanalytic “truth” prevailing. There are a number of constantly evolving models of the mind, each contributing a particular vision of the human being and the psychoanalytic situation. The Theory sequence seeks to prepare candidates to be highly informed and critical participants in the exciting debate that is currently reshaping psychoanalytic thinking.
The Technique sequence focuses on how to integrate theoretical concepts and developmental principles into a mode of working therapeutically with the patient. The candidate will learn how to facilitate the development and maintenance of a psychoanalytic process, which requires the development of various cognitive and empathic skills, along with an intuition as to the timing and dosage of interventions.
The Case Conference gives current and advanced candidates and their teachers an opportunity to explore material from analytic processes in depth and to further integrate all that has been learned in the other three tracks. The patients give permission for the material to be shared only in this confidential setting, with the understanding that any material by which they could be identified is carefully disguised. Each person’s own clinical experience is greatly enriched by the opportunity to hear and discuss work presented by colleagues.
Supervision
The analysis of a minimum of three cases under supervision is required: one patient must be male, one female, one an adolescent, one a latency-aged child. One child under five years of age is strongly recommended. The minimum frequency of patient sessions is four times per week, in addition to the candidate's work with the parents. One case in five times weekly analysis is suggested. In addition, a candidate may be asked to conduct evaluations referred through the Psychoanalytic Referral Service.
Supervisors are assigned from both the Denver Institute for Psychoanalysis Child & Adolescent Supervising Analysts or with a Child & Adolescent Geographic Supervising Analyst.
Candidates must submit reports and hours on a regular basis. Supervisors evaluate the candidate’s progress annually and share their observations.
Personal Analysis
Candidates for child and adolescent training who do wish to do adult training are required to be in a personal analysis with an approved Training Analyst of their choosing. The analysis will be conducted at a minimum of four times per week and should continue through a substantial period of the candidate's experience in analyzing patients under supervision.
Candidates for child and adolescent training who have graduated from an accepted adult analytic training, must have completed or be in the process of undertaking a training analysis. Because of the nature of child work and the differences from its adult counterpart, as well as the Institute's belief in a tripartite model of training, it is strongly advisable that candidates be in analysis during their child training.
The candidate’s personal analysis forms the core of the educational experience around which supervised analytic work is built. Conducted by faculty, the aim of this analysis is to resolve and master neurotic personality problems, free the candidate from unconscious attitudes that might interfere with psychoanalytic competence, and provide first-hand experience of unconscious forces and resistance.
Application
Applications can be downloaded below. Prospective students are encouraged to apply as soon as possible since class size is limited. Applications are due on January 15th of the year class begins. Classes begin every two years, in even numbered years.
After the application is submitted and reference letters are received, three interviews will be scheduled. Interviewers consider clinical experience, motivation to work closely with patients, as well as personal qualities of the applicant. The Admissions Committee and interviewers will review the application, and the applicant will be contacted regarding acceptance by mail or phone. The application process can begin at any time.
Fees
- Application & Fees
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- Child & Adolescent only or combined: $300.00
- Child & Adolescent only AFTER completion of Adult training at DIP $150 (if from Denver), $300 if from another institute
- Yearly tuition for the 2020-2021 academic year (tuition increases $100 per year)
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- Child & Adolescent only: $4,300
- Combined Adult and Child & Adolescent: $5,020
- Child & Adolescent only after completion of Adult at DIP: $1,780
- Advanced Candidate fee: $500 per year
- Leave of Absence (less than a year) $100
- Supervision Fees
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- $50/session with Analysts at the DIP,
- $negotiated with geographic supervisors
Tuition is due annually before the start of class and is nonrefundable after September 1st. You can pay by check by mailing into the Institute Office, or by credit card under the Member Only Area.
Graduation Requirements
The minimum requirements to graduate include:
- Satisfactory completion of all curriculum requirements, including didactic course work, and continuous case seminars.
- Must have three supervised analytic cases with an appropriate distribution of cases that provides analytic experience with children of different ages, genders and diagnoses. The cases should represent a range of psychopathology usually treated by psychoanalysis and cannot all fit one diagnostic category. At least one case A child case has progressed into a termination phase.
- Significant child analytic experience with three child and adolescent case where there has developed a psychoanalytic process and there has been a genuine learning experience for the candidate.
- The candidate has demonstration of a developing capacity to manage an alliance with parents in a way that supports and promotes the child's analysis.
- The candidate has had a minimum of 150 hours of supervision with two, but preferably three different supervisors.
- All necessary case reports have been completed and approved by the supervisors.
- Candidates are obligated to tell their control cases of their completion of training from the Denver Institute for Psychoanalysis once they have been approved for graduation.
- Had an analysis with a training analyst for a period of their training which substantially overlaps with the coursework and supervised cases.
- All fees and tuition have been paid in full.
Notice of Nondiscrimination
The Denver Institute for Psychoanalysis prohibits discrimination and harassment in any of its activities, including admissions, on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, disability, military or marital status, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity and expression), age, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal or state law.