ASSOCIATION for AUTONOMOUS PSYCHOANALYTIC INSTITUTES

AAPI Position Paper

1) A New Psychoanalytic Association

A new psychoanalytic association for autonomous psychoanalytic Institutes has been incorporated (May, 1999) as a non-profit corporation with the name, Association of Autonomous Psychoanalytic Institutes (AAPI). A psychoanalytic Institute is considered to be autonomous if it does not belong to a psychoanalytic association that dictates and oversees the psychoanalytic training program (for example, is involved in the certification of candidates and the appointment of training analysts). Institutes may of course be members of psychoanalytic that do not oversee their curriculum and candidates. AAPI consists of Institute membership and their individual members (graduates, faculty, supervisors, and members).

2) Purposes of AAPI

1. To form a professional psychoanalytic association of autonomous psychoanalytic Institutes and their members. The Association provides an interdisciplinary and multitheoretical umbrella and network for autonomous psychoanalytic Institutes and their members. In forming this network of autonomous Institutes, AAPI serves to enhance the affiliated Institutes and their members in the pursuit of psychoanalytic education, research, and continued development of the theory and practice of psychoanalysis.
2. To represent the affiliated Institutes and their members in professional advocacy matters.
3. To organize scientific meetings.
4. To represent psychoanalysis to the lay community.

3) Institute Membership

To become a member of AAPI a psychoanalytic Institute must be autonomous (as defined above) and their psychoanalytic training programs must meet the minimum criteria as listed below. These minimum criteria have been set forth out of respect for the diversity of reputable psychoanalytic training programs. An Institute must be primarily engaged in the training of licensable mental health professionals or their equivalent (recognizing that in some instances a professional may become licensable upon the completion of training). An Institute must be registered or chartered as an educational Institute and be in compliance with state and national laws. If not a founding member Institute, the Institute must apply for membership. Membership fee is $350.00.

Institute Application Form

4) Individual membership

All graduates, faculty, supervisors, and members of member Institutes are eligible for individual membership. Psychoanalytic candidates of member Institutes can join as Associate Members. Certified (that is, a graduate of a psychoanalytic institute that meets AAPI’s criteria) psychoanalysts who are not graduates or currently members of an affiliate Institute can also apply for individual membership. The membership fee for a graduate psychoanalyst is $75.00 and for candidates $35.00. Individual members as well as Institutes have voting representation. Individual as well as institute membership is encouraged.

Individual Application Form

5) Organization

AAPI is a non-profit, democratically organized professional association. Officers include President, President-Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer. Each working committee (Membership Committee, Program Committee, etc.) has a representative from each member Institute. The representatives of the founding Institutes elected the following officers for a two year term: President—Morton Shane, M.D.; President-Elect—James Fosshage, Ph.D.; Secretary—Mary Gales, M.D.; and Treasurer—Kenneth Frank, Ph.D. Institute and individual members of AAPI will have voting representation on the passage of By-Laws and all future elections.

6) Requirements

To become an Institute member of AAPI a psychoanalytic Institute must meet the following minimum training program criteria for acceptance. Membership applications of Institutes will be reviewed by the Membership Committee. Psychoanalytic training is based on a tripartite model involving coursework, supervision, and personal training analysis. The criteria are as follows:

	Courses: A minimum of three to four years of coursework in the theory and technique of psychoanalysis.
	Supervision: A minimum of 150 hours of supervision or its equivalent. At least three different patients must be supervised during the training program.
	Personal training analysis: A candidate must have a personal training analysis of sufficient duration to achieve a meaningful psychoanalytic experience both for personal growth and professional development. (Because total hours and frequency have been found to be inadequate for defining a psychoanalytic process, and out of respect for the diversity of personal analytic requirements and the autonomy of reputable psychoanalytic Institutes, we have arrived at the above description of personal training analysis.) A training analyst must be a graduate psychoanalyst.

7) Founding Psychoanalytic Institutes (alphabetically listed)

American Institute for Psychoanalysis, NYC

Institute for the Psychoanalytic Study of Subjectivity, NYC

Istituto di Specializzazione in Psicologia Psicoanalitica del Se’Psicoanalisi Relazionale, Roma

Kansas City Institute for Contemporary Psychoanalysis

Los Angeles Institute for Contemporary Psychoanalysis

Minnesota Institute for Contemporary Psychoanalytic Studies, Minneapolis

National Institute for the Psychotherapies, NYC

Newport Psychoanalytic Institute, Newport, CA

Postgraduate Center for Mental Health, NYC

Toronto Institute for Contemporary Psychoanalysis

Washington Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy, Washington D.C.

 

Any questions should be directed to AAPI’s office:

AAPI
1800 Fairburn Ave., #201
Los Angeles, CA  90025
(310) 396-2636