How to become a psychoanalyst?
To become a psychoanalyst, one must complete the psychoanalytical education. Since the Belgrade Psychoanalytical Society is a part of the International Psychoanalytical Association (IPA), the education is conducted in accordance with the IPA criteria, which means that upon the completion of education, a person obtains an international license.
International Psychoanalytical Association accepts three models of psychoanalytical education as equal: Eitingon, French and Uruguayan. The BPS organizes its education in accordance with the Eitingon model based on three-part model: personal analysis, supervision of personal experience with the analysands, theoretical and clinical seminars.
In order to commence the psychoanalytical education you must hold a degree in a field that enables you to work in one of the supporting professions including: physician, psychologist, pedagogue, andragogue, special educator and social worker. It is expected that you are motived to help people, that your personality is characterized by integrity, honesty, maturity, flexibility and the ability of introspection.
A person applying via e-mail shall send CV, University Degree scan and a request for admission into psychoanalytical education to the Society's address- belgradepsysoc@outlook.com.
Didactic Psychoanalysis
Personal analysis is a key part of psychoanalytical education. Through personal analysis, a candidate learns how to work on himself/herself, gains conviction in the efficiency of psychoanalytical method and understanding of psychic phenomena and processes. The analysis is conducted 4 to 5 times a week, a single session lasts 45-50 minutes until completion. Among others, the goal of the analysis is to help the candidate reach a high level of character stability, openness, flexibility, maturity, and to develop abilities essential for maintaining an open and creative psychoanalytical approach. An analysis is a completely private and confidential process.
A training analyst informs the Education Committee about the beginning and completion of the analysis. All other information are confidential and cannot be shared with any individual or body, within the Society or outside of it.
Theoretical Seminars
A candidate starts attending theoretical seminars after one year of training analysis. Through the seminars, a candidate obtains knowledge about psychoanalytical theories. Following subjects are obligatory: Freud's theories, psychic development theories, theories on psychoanalytical techniques, ethical questions, narcissism theories, sexuality theories and psychopathology. Besides obligatory subjects there are other elective seminars that cover certain subjects or certain psychoanalytical theories (for example, Winnicott, Klein, Bion, Kohut...).
Seminars are usually held during 16-week period and are held once a week for the period of 2 full hours. Different theoretical articles relevant to the main topic are discussed on the seminar. The required literature is provided by the Society.
Supervision
Supervision is a form of learning psychoanalysis through work with the clients under the mentorship of a supervisor. To obtain approval for entering supervision, a candidate must attend at least two years of personal analysis, have experience in clinical work and a positive evaluation provided by the Education Committee. Supervision starts by choosing a supervisor, while the candidate and the supervisor choose the client for psychoanalysis together.
Supervisor and candidate meet once a week for 45-50 minutes to discuss everything that is happening in the psychoanalytical work of the candidate with the client. Supervision is a highly complex process that is reflected upon the candidate's psychoanalytical work with the client and his/her didactic analysis.
When a supervisor assess that the candidate is ready to receive another client for psychoanalysis, the candidate is sent to be evaluated for a second supervision. This can happen only after the first six month of the first supervision have expired. A new supervisor is chosen for the supervision of the second client under psychoanalysis. In this way, a candidate receives the experience of different styles of work and thinking about the psychoanalytical process. Candidate can have multiple supervisions. Once the supervisors deem the candidate ready for independent work, they suggest application for membership in BPS, or IPA. For membership in BPS, a candidate must present his/her work with clients under psychoanalysis in front of a special committee.
Clinical Seminars
Clinical seminars are a presentation of psychoanalytical work of candidates with their clients to a group of candidates led by the supervisor. They are held every second week for a period of two hours. Supervision (clinical seminar) has a form of a group discussion led by the supervisor. It is preferred that every candidate presents his/her own clinical work in the appropriate period in order to follow up on the psychoanalytical process. Candidates are required to participate in clinical seminars for at least two years.
Candidates of BPS see here.