Psychoanalytical training

The Site offers a psychoanalytic training which reflects the philosophy of the organisation.

It aims at engaging with the historical, political, theoretical, and clinical developments of psychoanalysis and seeks to acknowledge the socio-cultural specificity of individual and group experience. An example of the training’s recent syllabi, available here, gives a sense of the range of critical orientations, theories, and topics considered.

The training consists of the following elements: personal therapy; theoretical and clinical seminars; written papers; supervised work with patients; and the “Pass”, the successful navigation of which leads to membership of The Site, and eligibility for membership of the UKCP. It is not possible to predict how long an individual trainee will need to stay in the training in order to feel ready to graduate, but this must be at least four years up to a maximum of eight.

 We do not operate year groups. Trainees join an open group and remain in the group until they graduate. There are currently two training groups, which meet on Thursdays and Saturdays respectively, following broadly the same programme of seminars. Trainees may join the training in October or January. 

The Site Trainee Handbook can be viewed here

Application process

There are several areas of experience that we require to be in place before considering an applicant for training: an applicant’s personal analysis, relevant work experience, and a level of psychoanalytic learning.

Applicants are expected to have been in personal twice-weekly psychoanalytic psychotherapy for at least one year prior to application (see Trainee Handbook, “Personal therapy”, for details). Whilst the Site is eager to avoid the disruption of anyone’s therapy, the psychotherapist has to be approved by the Training Committee. Consequently, any prospective applicant is advised to consult The Site prior to starting with a new psychotherapist.

Applicants are expected to have had relevant work experience in related fields, exploring their desire and capacity to work with those who suffer. Experience deemed relevant includes (but is not limited to) volunteering or placements in organisations such as Mind, the Listening Place, or Samaritans. In the exceptional case of a trainee being accepted to train before they have relevant work experience, before they begin supervised clinical work they will be asked to complete a Mental Health Familiarisation Placement (see Trainee Handbook, “Mental Health Familiarisation Placement”, for details).

The training is at Masters level and, although formal academic qualifications are not essential, applicants should have had some formal learning experience (to graduate level or equivalent), have undertaken some formal or informal study of psychoanalytic and philosophical texts and ideas, and must be able to demonstrate the capacity for studying at the level required, to be willing to read widely and to produce work for formal assessment. Applicants must also demonstrate a capacity for self-reflection and to articulate their insight.

Interview process

On receipt of the completed application form and payment of the application fee, references are taken up and a decision on the applicant’s suitability for interview is made. Two interviews are then arranged with members of the Training Committee. In some circumstances a third interview may be necessary.

 The interview is a space to think about your readiness and suitability to train as a psychoanalytic psychotherapist, professionally, academically, and also personally. It therefore needs to be more in-depth and searching than many other types of interview. Your interviewers will be interested in aspects of your life and experience that will enable them more fully to assess your application. This might include being asked about your background, your childhood and upbringing, your experiences in groups, and other relevant aspects of your life. The interview is also a space for the applicant to ask questions about the training.

Following the applicant’s two interviews, the interviewers write separate reports before conferring on their assessment of the applicant’s suitability and readiness to train. The interviewers present their recommendations to the Training Committee, who make the final decision on the offer of a training place.

The Site accepts candidates without a therapeutic background because we believe there are many experiences that can contribute to the formation of a psychotherapist. If you do not have a traditional background with clinical experience, you may wish to think in advance about your understanding of your life experiences and your observations of others so that you will be able to discuss these in relation to your current understanding of psychological dynamics and psychoanalytic ideas.

Getting in touch

Initial enquiries should be addressed to the Site Administrator enquiries@the-site.org.uk

The training fee is currently £1,500 pa.