Couple Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy MA

This unique four-year programme is a clinical training and clinical qualification in couple psychoanalytic psychotherapy.

This training provides a comprehensive understanding of psychoanalytic theory and techniques as they relate to the adult couple relationship and builds on and deepens the student's existing clinical experience. Clinical work with couples is provided through the Tavistock Relationships' clinical service, some of which is in co-therapy with experienced psychoanalytic couple therapists.

This is the only couple psychoanalytic psychotherapy training that leads to professional membership of the psychoanalytic section of the British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC).

Why study the Clinical Qualification in Couple Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy at Tavistock Relationships?

• Train with experienced practitioners in the helping professions such as child, group and adult psychotherapy, counselling, psychology, psychiatry or social work
• Couples provided by Tavistock Relationships and seen on our premises in our own consulting rooms
• Co-therapy undertaken with senior staff
• Individual supervision, tutorials and clinical administration included in the fee
• A chance to be part of an institution with more than 70 years of training and research experience
• Benefit from Tavistock Relationships' long history of researching and writing about couple relationships

Accreditation

The course is accredited by the British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC).

Students are able to develop their clinical skills through weekly individual supervision provided by senior clinical staff and through weekly clinical seminars. Theoretical seminars on key psychoanalytic concepts and psychoanalytic couple concepts, including narcissistic relating, shared unconscious phantasies and beliefs and the couple state of mind, are explored.

The course also covers research methodologies and critical couple relationship issues such as first babies, infertility, divorce, separation and sexuality.

The course involves:

• Four core academic modules in skills,  psychoanalytic thought, couple theory 1 & 2

• Three core professional modules in clinical technique, essentials and research

• Infant Observation Seminars

• Weekly supervision of clinical work, a minimum of 6 long-term cases (modified for advanced standing students), 6-10 assessments and weekly clinical seminars while undertaking  clinical work until qualification

• Written work and support from a personal tutor throughout the course

A requirement of the course is that all students undertake personal psychoanalytic psychotherapy of at least 3 times a week usually commencing at least 1 year before starting the course. This requirement may be modified for entrants with Advanced Standing. 

Suitable for people who have had several years of post-qualifying experience in a helping profession such as counselling, psychology, social work or psychiatry.

We also have a popular two-year advanced standing programme for qualified psychoanalytic psychotherapists (child, adult or group). Please see the Advanced Standing tab for more details.

• DVD recorded session & process recording,  case studies

• Couple theory paper, seminar review paper, infant observation summary/paper

• A qualifying dissertation and couple assessment report.

• Ongoing assessment by supervisors, seminar leaders, co-therapist and tutors

Exemptions may apply for APEL’d components.

Our advanced standing programme will be of interest to child, adult or group psychoanalytic psychotherapists who now wish to extend their clinical practice to the couple. Applicants for advanced standing will be expected to have met the normal requirements for 5 years of 3 x week individual psychoanalytic psychotherapy with a BPC psychoanalytic therapist or analyst, undertaken in the context of training. In the case of group analysts, the requirement may be reduced depending on the amount of group analytic and individual psychoanalytic psychotherapy previously undertaken.

Advanced Standing course Content and Structure

The course involves:

• Seminars in Couple Theory

• Infant Observation Seminars and Psychiatric Placement

• Weekly individual supervision, a minimum of 4 long-term cases and weekly clinical seminars when undertaking clinical work

• Co-therapy with experienced couple psychoanalytic psychotherapists

• Personal psychoanalytic psychotherapy of at least 3 times a week (unless recently completed an analysis)

• Support from a personal tutor throughout the course

The course also covers research methodologies and critical couple relationship issues such as first babies, infertility, divorce, separation and sexuality.

Assessment Includes:

• Couple theory paper, oral presentation, infant observation summary/paper

• A qualifying dissertation and couple assessment report

• Ongoing assessment by supervisors, seminar leaders, co-therapist and tutors

Exemptions may apply for APL’d components.