Personal Psychoanalysis
In the training programs of adult psychoanalysis and child psychoanalysis, the candidate is required to complete a personal psychoanalysis, which must extend for a minimum period of 400 sessions of continuous treatment, over a minimum of three years.?In practice, the length of a personal psychoanalysis usually exceeds this?requirement.?It?is?recommended?that?this psychoanalysis be conducted at four or five sessions per week, on separate days. A minimum of three sessions per week on separate days is required. Sessions should be at least 45 minutes in length. Psychoanalysis of candidates must begin prior to or concurrent with the beginning of training unless there are special circumstances approved by the Training and Certification Committee.
Candidates are free to select a psychoanalyst from the list of MPC adult psychoanalysts. Those already in psychoanalysis for one year or more with a certified non-MPC psychoanalyst may continue in analysis with that analyst. The candidate should inform the Vice President for Certification and the Vice President for Education and Training at the beginning and end of the personal analysis and include the name of the psychoanalyst.
MPC considers it of utmost importance that the personal psychoanalysis be a private, meaningful, and safe experience. Hence, it is MPC policy that the candidate’s psychoanalyst not be involved in discussions or decisions about the candidate. Also, a candidate cannot take a Continuous Case Seminar with his/her psychoanalyst, but may take other courses. Similarly, the personal psychoanalyst should not supervise or have previously supervised the candidate; psychoanalysis and supervision with the same psychoanalyst will not be given credit toward the completion of either requirement. The only communication allowed between the personal psychoanalyst and MPC is in reference to the number of treatment hours completed and their frequency. These policies are designed to protect the integrity of the personal psychoanalysis.
Supervision
Training program in Adult Psychoanalysis:
The candidate is required to complete at least 200 hours of weekly supervision on cases seen three or more sessions per week. Supervision must be completed during candidacy. A candidate must have supervision on at least two cases with at least two different supervisors. Candidates may have three or four cases and three or four supervisors, provided that each case is supervised by a particular supervisor for at least 40 continuous supervisory sessions. It is desirable, although not mandatory, to have at least one male and one female supervisor. It is also desirable, but not mandatory, to have both male and female analysands and to carry one case to termination. Candidates who present the on-going case in a Continuous Case Seminar may count those hours toward the 40 required hours if further individual sessions with the same supervisor are accumulated to a total of 40 hours
Training program in Child Psychoanalysis:
The candidate is required to treat at least three children in psychoanalysis. It is recommended that one case be in each of the following age groups: preschool, latency, and adolescence. Each case should involve a minimum of 40 supervisory hours. All cases need to be seen three or more sessions per week. The candidate is required to complete at least 200 hours of supervision. It is desirable, although not mandatory, to have both male and female analysands and to carry at least one case to termination. Candidates who present the on-going case in a Continuous Case Seminar may count those hours toward the 40 required hours if further individual sessions with the same supervisor are accumulated to a total of 40 hours.
Candidates are free to select supervisors from the list of MPC child analysts listed in this brochure. The candidate should inform the Training and Certification Committee at the beginning and end of each supervisory relationship and include the name of the supervisor.
Combined Program:
There is considerable overlap within the two programs, and a candidate can receive certificates in both child and adult programs by satisfying requirements in each.