Teaching Philosophy
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We strive to develop psychoanalytic thinkers who will have the ability and desire to continue learning after formal graduation. We believe that such ability and desire are fostered through quality teaching in an atmosphere of open and honest analytic inquiry. This life-long learning process must be founded on an in-depth knowledge and appreciation of the importance of the works of Sigmund Freud and other key international psychoanalytic thinkers who have followed in his footsteps. Thus, our pedagogical method will employ both didactic and discussion seminars. We also believe that learning to write in an analytic manner and learning to participate in groups in an analytic manner fosters the development of psychoanalytic thinkers. Thus, our curriculum provides opportunities to develop these skills.
We also endeavor to help create exceptional psychoanalytic clinicians. We will achieve this through an intense focus on analytic listening skills, and clinical method based on these skills, in a focused theoretical context. In this way we emphasize the links between theory and practice in both seminars and supervision. We believe that it is of the utmost importance that we graduate ethical psychoanalysts and that ethical practice can be taught. We believe that ethics follow from good clinical psychoanalytic practice. Thus, raising the question of the ethical implications of various theories and practices is an integral part of our pedagogical method in seminars and supervision. We believe that the personal analysis of the candidate is the most important component of the three-part model of psychoanalytic learning. A truly analytic experience is required to move beyond identification and become able to maintain and, when needed, recover an analytic position. Finally, we believe that the affective experience of each group and the society as a whole is an important aspect of training that must be attended to in a thoughtful manner throughout the formal learning years and beyond. |
There is no end unless the bottom of the trough has been reached, unless the thing feared has been experienced." |