Application for membership of the NSW Institute of Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy is through the Membership Advisory Board (MAB). Applicants are invited to contact Jan Kerpan at the Institute on 02 9558 3175 to discuss the procedure.

Formal applications usually take several months to process as a number of stages are necessary prior to applications being considered by the Executive Committee of the Institute. The Executive Committee has the responsibility of admitting or refusing applications.

All members are selected on the basis of their qualifications and personal suitability for the task of being psychoanalytic psychotherapists and their ability to work within the NSWIP Code of Ethics and Conduct.

Prerequisites for Membership

1. Professional qualifications – registration as a social worker, medical practitioner, psychologist or professional in a related clinical field with at least five years experience of approved clinical experience after graduation.
2. Personal psychotherapy – a substantial experience of individual psychotherapy is required. While this amount is not quantitatively specified, it would generally be at least three years of twice weekly therapy as is consistent with the training requirements.
3. Psychotherapy supervision with approved supervisors. This consists of a minimum of weekly individual weekly supervision for a minimum of eighty sessions and weekly individual supervision for a minimum for forty sessions with two separate supervisors with two separate patients.
4. Psychotherapy experience. The applicant will be required to give evidence that he/she has treated patients by psychoanalytic psychotherapy. The minimum requirements are one patient for two hundred hours and two years, and a second patient for one hundred hours and one year.
5. Completion of a didactic training program, such as that set down by the Training Advisory Boards of the NSW Institute of Psychotherapy. The didactic program must have been concurrent with supervision and personal therapy.