CURRICULUM

The California Psychoanalytic Society is pleased to present our 2009-2010 Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Training Program, a comprehensive 32-week course in the fundamentals of psychodynamic psychotherapy. Psychiatric residents, psychology interns, social work students, and others will find this program addresses areas that are not given sufficient attention in typical contemporary training programs. Another feature of the CPS curriculum is the deliberate blending of theory and practice. Presentations of theory will alternate with faculty and student presentations of relevant clinical examples. Our approach illustrates the practical application of theoretical principles to clinical practice as soon as possible in a manner which deepens understanding of theory while increasing the effectiveness of clinical practice.

Module 1: Concepts of Psychodynamics:

Week 1 -- What is "dynamic" about psychodynamic psychotherapy?

Week 2 -- Introduction to the psychodynamic world view and how to use it.

Week 3 -- What does psychodynamic psychotherapy demand of the therapist? The patient?

Week 4 -- Clinical presentations and group supervision.

Module 2: The Therapeutic Setting in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy:

Week 5 -- Introduction to boundaries and general technique.

Week 6 -- Transference and counter-transference -- what is it and how do we use it?

Week 7 -- What is an interpretation? Resistance? How do we use them?

Week 8 -- Clinical presentations and group supervision.

Module 3: Introduction to Attachment Theory and Psychodynamic Practice

Week 9 -- Dynamic approach to the work of John Bowlby

Week 10 -- The Adult Attachment Interview

Week 11 -- Attachment theory in individual therapy

Week 12 -- Attachment Theory in couple and group therapy

Module 4: Psychodynamic Understanding of Trauma and Stress:

Week 13 -- Understanding and treating post-traumatic stress disorder.

Week 14 -- Understanding and treating survivors of childhood trauma.

Week 15 -- Understanding and treating grief and mourning.

Week 16-- Clinical presentations and group supervision

Module 5: Introduction to Psychodynamic Theory:

Week 17 -- Introduction to psychodynamic theories of development.

Week 18 -- Introduction to psychodynamic theory I.

Week 19 -- Introduction to psychodynamic theory II.

Week 20 -- Recent contributions to psychodynamic thinking.

Week 21 -- Clinical presentations and group supervision.

Module 6: Psychodynamic Diagnosis and Assessment:

Week 22 -- What is a dynamic case formulation?

Week 23 -- What is the dynamic view of diagnosis and how do we use it?

Week 24-- What are defense mechanisms? How do we deal with them?

Week 25 -- Discussion of higher and lower level defenses and character organization.

Week 26 -- Clinical presentations and group supervision.

Module 7: Higher Level Psychopathology:

Week 27 -- Understanding and treating anxiety.

Week 28 -- Understanding and treating depression.

Week 29 -- Understanding and treating bipolar and manic states.

Week 30 -- Understanding and treating narcissism.

Week 31 -- Understanding and treating obsessional states.

Week 32 -- Clinical presentations and group supervision.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Schedule of Classes

Dates: Wednesdays beginning October 7, 2009

Times: 7:30 - 9:30 p.m.

Location: Lifespan Learning Institute

1023 Westholme Avenue

Los Angeles, CA 90024

and at Faculty Homes.