Criteria and Guidelines for Accreditation as a Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist with IPSS
Applicants for individual accreditation as a psychoanalytic psychotherapist may already be fully registered with UKCP with another College, or be a student member of UKCP. They may also be a member of BACP, or hold an ECP (European Certificate of Psychotherapy). In addition, the IPSS plans to offer an alternative psychodynamic psychotherapist accreditation route in due course. The training and experience requirements for this route will remain robust but the personal therapy, and individual patient work conditions will be less rigorous. If this route interests you, please check back into our website from time to time. When you find the route available you are welcome to apply.
Applicants will be seeking accreditation as an individual psychoanalytic psychotherapist through a combination of relevant previous training and clinical experience.
a) For applicants without a completed or a full formal training in psychoanalytic psychotherapy, professional equivalence may be achieved based on the CPJA Standards of Education and Training. Applicants who have a qualification in psychodynamic counselling for example, in addition to meeting all clinical supervision and personal therapy requirements, may be accredited if they can demonstrate sufficient additional relevant Master’s level CPD study comparable in depth and breadth with the CPJA Standards of Education and Training
b) Applicants with sufficient theoretical study demonstrably meeting the CPJA Standards of Education and Training thresh-hold requirements, may be accredited on condition they have achieved the following minimum clinical criteria:
• Personal Psychotherapy/Psychoanalysis - Although it can be interpreted flexibly, this will normally have been for a minimum of 4 years in total, of which a minimum of two years (continuous) must have been twice (or more) a week. We would also expect a substantial overlap with the psychoanalytic clinical work for which the applicant wishes to be accredited. The applicant’s therapist(s) will normally have been an accredited psychoanalytic psychotherapist/psychoanalyst from the CPJA (UKCP) or BPC (or equivalent) and themselves have had at least five years post-qualification experience. This is a requirement in relation to the period of twice (or more) weekly psychotherapy.
• Have themselves offered psychoanalytic psychotherapy twice a week to at least one client/patient for no less than a continuous 12- month period (under appropriate weekly psychoanalytic supervision). This will be considered the applicants ‘training case’.
• Significant additional once a week clinical experience under psychoanalytic supervision.
It is imagined that whilst some applicants will meet the above criteria at the point of applying, others may not. For the latter, you are welcome to apply on the basis that further personal therapy, CPD and/or supervised practice will be undertaken with an IPSS approved psychoanalytical psychotherapist/supervisor before accreditation is appropriate.
