Education and Training > Psychoanalytic Training > Adult Psychoanalysis > Curriculum > First Year 

First Year 

Freud I, 1893-1909:
The development of psychoanalysis is presented through an historical review of Freud’s writings in three courses, two in the first year and one in the second year. This course begins with Freud’s early case studies, clinical formulations and self-analysis. It proceeds through the study of dreams, slips and jokes and the theory of the mental apparatus to the later case studies and the theory of sexuality.

Freud II, 1910-1917:
The course covers Freud’s major papers written between 1910 and 1917, exploring the developments in his theory that led eventually to his creation of a new model of the mind: the structural theory. The papers from this period concern the increasing complexity of the topographic model, the role of reality in the formation of intrapsychic structure, and the centrality of the Oedipus Complex as a mental structure. In addition, during this critical period, Freud created developmental models for object relations, narcissism, and morality. This course is organized around the question of what additions to the topographic model led to its becoming an inadequate theory of the mind.

Theory of Dream Interpretation:
This seminar is centered around a close reading of “The Interpretation of Dreams.” The seminar will also address technical issues in dream analysis.

Technique Ia:
This seminar is an introduction to the psychoanalytic situation and the psychoanalytic space. In the context of studying the development of psychoanalytic theory from Freud to contemporary writers, similarities and differences between psychotherapy and psychoanalysis will be addressed. The psychoanalytic space will involve a consideration of the practicalities of an analysis: schedules, fee setting, room arrangements and other less tangible aspects of the analytic milieu. A short paper on an analytic topic of one’s choosing may be required.

Technique Ib:
This early course in psychoanalytic technique is especially focused on the psychoanalyst’s perceptual field, the psychoanalytic attitude, intersubjectivity and the duality of transference-countertransference. Technique Ib moves from the assessment of the patient’s analyzability to the opening and early phases of a psychoanalysis. Participants examine how the psychoanalytic dialogue and process are initiated and sustained by the patient and analyst. The course provides the first opportunity to learn how to present and listen to a clinical psychoanalysis. Members of the class will present the beginning of their first analyses and an advanced candidate will present the initial phase of an ongoing psychoanalysis.

Psychopathology I:
Psychoanalytic theories of psychopathology are presented in three courses, one in the first, one in the third, and one in the fourth years. Each course will cover a specific group of clinical syndromes and disorders. This course begins with an overview of psychoanalytic perspectives on psychopathology, followed by discussion of neurotic symptom formation, hysteria, dissociative states, conversion symptoms and somatization.