CPS Educational Programs:

California Psychoanalytic Society -- Psychotherapy Program



The third year curriculum focuses on psychopathology, technique, and special problems. Again the philosophy is to try to blend the didactic material with clinical case material. The major dysfunctions that patients enter treatment to address will each be given attention, with contributions from different schools of thought and a variety of treatment approaches.

We will also study the various ways the major psychoanalytic approaches deal with the therapist-patient interaction as well as different theories on the nature of the therapeutic process itself. What is it that contributes to constructive change in psychotherapy? Is it possible to blend different theoretical approaches or are some of them contradictory?

Other areas we will look into are what we call "special problems." These will include the handling of medication in psychotherapy, changes in the life of the therapist, including pregnancy, illness, and terminal illness, dealing with crises in the patient, including medical illness, life cycle issues, and suicide.

The three-year program is not a substitute for full training as a psychoanalyst. However, we believe that the elements of our program -- a first year devoted to foundational concepts of psychotherapy, a second year introducing different schools of theoretical thinking, and a third year focusing on the presentation of patients and how to deal with them -- will prepare most psychotherapists to understand and deal with a wide variety of clinical challenges from the perspective of dynamic psychotherapy.


Third Year Curriculum

Module 14: Understanding and Treating Depression
Session 1 Understanding and treating depression
Session 2 Depression as an affect; depression as a disorder
Session 3 Depression across the life cycle
Session 4 Case Presentation
Module 15: Understanding and Treating Anxiety
Session 5 Understanding and treating anxiety
Session 6 Anxiety as an affect; anxiety as a disorder
Session 7 Phobia and panic disorder
Session 8 Case Presentation
Module 16: Perspectives on Narcissism
Session 9 Narcissism -- normal, developmental, pathological
Session 10 Grandiose narcissism and self-esteem
Session 11 Narcissism’s effect on relationships
Session 12 Case Presentation
Module 17: Understanding and Treating Borderline Disorders
Session 13 Borderline Personality Disorder -- higher functioning
Session 14 Borderline Personality Disorder -- lower functioning
Session 15 Borderline Personality Disorder -- special issues in technique
Session 16 Case Presentation
Module 18: Psychosis
Session 17 Psychosis -- transient
Session 18 Psychosis -- schizophrenia
Session 19 Psychosis -- bipolar
Session 20 Case Presentation
Module 19: Addiction -- Principles and Treatment.
Session 21 Addiction -- general principles
Session 22 Addiction -- to substances and to life style
Session 23 Addiction -- working with 12 step concepts
Session 24 Case Presentation
Module 20: The Psychodynamic Theory of Technique
Session 25 Technique -- The Therapeutic Alliance
Session 26 Technique -- Transference
Session 27 Technique -- Countertransference
Session 28 Technique -- Interpretation
Session 29 Technique -- Termination
Module 21: Special Problems in Dynamic Treatment
Session 30 Special Problems -- medication
Session 31 Special Problems -- life changes in the therapist
Session 32 Special Problems -- life changes in the patient

Back to Second Year Curriculum


 


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  Last update: 10-6-2008