ADMISSIONS INFORMATION

BPSI welcomes applications from licensed clinicians in the mental health fields for our Combined Child/Adult Psychoanalytic training program. Additionally, current BPSI Candidates and graduates of BPSI, MIP, or other IPA institutes may apply to our Child-Focused Training Program.  

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ELIGIBILITY and READINESS

At BPSI we welcome applications for training from all mental health disciplines. Prior to psychoanalytic training, applicants should possess the clinical immersion and didactic and personal treatment experience described below. This should include at least one year of training specific to child and adolescent mental health from a recognized treatment center. 

We understand there are different educational pathways in the mental health field, and your training and experience may differ from the criteria listed below. The Admissions Chairs and the Training Outreach Chair are available to discuss your didactic and clinical immersion, your individual interests and professional trajectory, and your readiness for psychoanalytic training. Their contact information can be found below. 

Clinical Immersion

1. A minimum of 3000 hours or the equivalent of two years full-time mental-health clinical experience under weekly individual supervision. This should include experience with children, adolescents and adults. Although this experience may be gained primarily from out-patient care situations, it should ideally include at least some experience with other settings such as inpatient and emergency care settings that offer exposure to the full range of mental disorders, and should include experience with psychodiagnostic assessment and differential diagnosis.
2. A minimum of 60 hours of individual supervision in the practice of psychodynamic psychotherapy such that you have begun to develop the capacity to establish a clinical process with patients, basic to future psychoanalytic clinical competence.

Didactic Experience

Should generally include the following:

1. Human Development across the lifespan from infancy into adulthood.
2. Psychopathology – allowing for a theoretical and clinical understanding of mental disorders of children, adolescents, and adults including neurotic, characterological, psychotic, affective, anxiety, attentional and learning disorders as well as disorders related to substance abuse and those at the medical-psychiatric interface.
3. Major psychological theories such as behavioral, cognitive, learning theories, in addition to basics of psychoanalytic theories of the mind.
4. At least 60 hours participation in psychodynamically oriented courses and clinical seminars from which you have gained understanding of basic psychoanalytic concepts as well as the basics of a psychotherapeutic clinical process.
5. Therapeutic approaches to mental disorders that would enable a theoretical and clinical understanding of the different indications for psychopharmacology, supportive, psycho-dynamic and other psychotherapeutic treatments.
6. Interviewing techniques, history taking, information gathering and report writing.
7. Techniques of psychotherapy including a theoretical understanding and clinical experience with a range of psychotherapeutic techniques.
8. The principles of clinical and professional ethical conduct.

Personal Treatment Experience

Applicants are strongly encouraged to have experience in their own personal treatment, in psychoanalysis or intensive psychoanalytic psychotherapy.

Thank you for your interest in psychoanalytic training at BPSI. Please know that applicants are evaluated on the basis of their education, interest and experience relevant to the field, psychological aptitude, and certain personality factors. These include personal integrity, maturity and an abiding interest in the vicissitudes of human experience and psychological growth; a capacity for psychological understanding and sensitivity; the ability to listen and communicate empathically; the desire to make observations non-judgmentally in an inherently subjective field; and a tolerance for complexity, ambiguity and frustration. Psychoanalytic training is directed toward helping the psychoanalytic Candidate further develop and integrate these characteristics.

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REQUISITES FOR ACCEPTANCE 

• In order to be accepted for child training at BPSI, Independent licensure and individual liability insurance are required.
• Eligibility is also based in part on prior experience with children and adolescents. This can be met by one year of full-time child training, with supervision, in a licensed children’s treatment center and subsequent supervised treatment of children and adolescents, or its equivalent.
• Applicants must be a in good standing at their psychoanalytic institute and must have a letter to that effect from the institute.
• There must be no ethical complaints outstanding against the applicant.
• Applicants are responsible for requesting four letters of reference. Letters may be from any supervisors or colleagues who know your clinical work well. At least two letters must be from supervisors or colleagues who know your work with children/adolescents.
• Several admissions interviews with two different interviewers will be part of the evaluation process.

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THE ADMISSIONS PROCESS

How to Apply

Applicants to the Combined Child/Adult Program can download the Application from our website. Applicants to Child-Focused program should contact the Child Program Chairs to discuss eligibility.   

BPSI will accept applications from December 1, 2026 – March 1, 2027.

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TUITION

• 2026-2027 Tuition for seminars: $2,015.00 per year, for Candidates taking seminars. Tuition will be $1,415.00 for Candidates in post seminar years.
• BPSI Adult Candidates, Members, and Adjunct Members: Child Psychoanalytic Training is included in Tuition and Membership Fee.
• Our Financial Office can set up a payment plan for your tuition. Please email Drew Brydon-Cardoso, Associate Director, Business Operations, or call him at (617) 266-0953 x 105.
• The following are included in tuition:
  • Access to The Referral Service: BPSI’s Referral Service, can be an excellent source for referrals. The committee provides information and assistance to individuals who are considering psychoanalysis and/or psychoanalytic psychotherapy. Committee members meet in consultation with adults, adolescents and children and, whenever possible, provide referrals.
• When appropriate, committee members work to facilitate analytic referrals to Child Candidates who are willing to take a reduced fee for training purposes.
  • PEP Web (Psychoanalytic Electronic Publishing on the WEB – Gives the Candidate online access to psychoanalytic journals and books).
  • Continuing Education Credits are available across all disciplines for select Thursday evening events and Saturday Programs. 
  • Use of our extensive library and resource librarian.

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SUPERVISORY FEES

• Supervisory Fees in all BPSI Training Programs are $100 for the years in core seminars. 
• After Core Seminars are completed, supervisory fees are negotiated between supervisor and supervisee.  

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PERSONAL PSYCHOANALYSIS FEES

• Personal analysis fees are arranged privately with the personal psychoanalyst.
• Reduced fee training analysis is available, dependent upon financial circumstances.
• All training costs, including personal psychoanalysis (unless used as a medical expense) may be tax-deductible, please check with your accountant or tax advisor.

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FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND SCHOLARSHIPS

• BPSI is committed to supporting training for those applicants with limited financial resources. Candidates are eligible to apply for BPSI Scholarships. Please contact Carole Nathan, Managing Director for further information at (617) 266-0953.
• Candidates are also eligible to apply for Training Loans or Grants from The Association for Child Psychoanalysis and the IPA. 

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