The VAPP offers a four-year psychoanalytic psychotherapy training program for suitably qualified professionals with appropriate clinical experience. Intakes usually occur every two years. The next intake is in 2027.
Components of the Training Program
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Personal Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy
Prospective candidates should have had at least twelve months of psychoanalytic psychotherapy prior to the commencement of the training program, with a therapist who has the approval of the Training Committee and Council of the VAPP. This must be individual psychotherapy or psychoanalysis at least twice weekly. An approved therapist or supervisor for training purposes is one with at least five years’ membership of the VAPP or the International Psychoanalytical Association.
The training includes concurrent attendance at seminars, personal therapy or analysis and supervised clinical work for a minimum of 4 years. Personal therapy must last until completion of the training, which means the acceptance of the case paper. In very exceptional circumstances, the Training Committee may, at its sole discretion, vary the requirement for the duration of personal therapy.
Unless there are exceptional circumstances, the therapist of a candidate will be a member of the VAPP or the IPA. If needed, prospective candidates are invited to discuss their choice of therapist with a member of the Training Committee.
A list of approved therapists and supervisors can be obtained from the VAPP Training Committee Secretary.
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Supervision and Clinical Work
VAPP candidates are expected to work with a number of patients throughout their training. At least two patients need to be in intensive psychoanalytic psychotherapy twice a week during the training program, and the candidate is required to undertake weekly supervision from a VAPP approved supervisor for each patient. One patient needs to be seen in therapy for at least two years, and the other for at least one year. Once accepted, it is a requirement that Candidates have weekly Supervision with an approved supervisor.
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Seminar Program
Seminars are conducted twice weekly for the first four years of the training, and then less frequently until completion of all the components of the program.
Seminars cover the following three broad categories:
3.1 Theoretical Seminars
These seminars provide an extensive theoretical basis to the practice of psychoanalytic psychotherapy. They include an understanding of the central concepts of psychoanalytic theory and their application to practice. Concurrent with these seminars are clinical seminars where candidates discuss their clinical practice as it applies to theory.
3.2 Clinical Seminars
Concurrent with theoretical seminars, the clinical seminars provide candidates with the opportunity to present their clinical work for group discussion under the guidance of a seminar leader. This is not a supervision group, but an opportunity to apply theoretical concepts and principles of clinical practice to their own work.
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Infant Observation
Each candidate is required to observe a baby (with mother or care-giver) on a one-hour-a-week basis for at least a year. Accounts of the experience for each observation are recorded and these accounts are discussed in a weekly seminar. The experience is invaluable in developing powers of observation, and in understanding the emotional states of the infant and mother-infant relationship. On completion, candidates write a paper on their understandings gained from the observation and the weekly seminars.
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Clinical Case Paper
Candidates are required to prepare a paper focussing on the supervised work with one patient seen during the training program. The paper needs to demonstrate the candidates development as a psychoanalytic psychotherapist.
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Ongoing Assessment
Throughout the training, regular monitoring of the candidate’s progress is undertaken.
Applying for the VAPP Training Program
Prospective candidates must have professional backgrounds such as:
- Medical graduate with at least two years’ approved graduate clinical experience
- Psychologist, eligible for membership of the Australian Psychological Society or AAPi – with national registration and at least two years’ approved graduate clinical experience
- Social worker with at least two years’ approved graduate clinical experience
- Professional from another clinical field who has achieved the necessary standards and has appropriate clinical experience
Applications for the Training Program are welcomed and are assessed by interview for personal suitability, professional experience and situation.
For enquiries or application please contact:
VAPP TRAINING COMMITTEE SECRETARY
tel: (03) 9428 2303
[email protected]