Training in Psychotherapy

Training in Psychoanalytic Couple and Family Psychotherapy

Training in Psychoanalytic Couple and Family Psychotherapy at Poiesis meets the requirements for obtaining the Advanced Specialty in Psychotherapy from the Order of Portuguese Psychologists. The Portuguese Association of Psychoanalytic Couple and Family Psychotherapy is an entity registered with the Ordem dos Portuguese Psychologists.

Training in Couple and Family Psychoanalysis or Couple and Family Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy is organized into two cycles, respectively lasting two years each, making a total of four years.

The first cycle is of a generalist nature and, therefore, over the course of two years, fundamental concepts are reviewed, originating either from Systemic Theories, the Study of Groups or Psychoanalytic Epistemology; specific authors and concepts of psychoanalytic theories and techniques relating to the family and the couple are studied. The trainee acquires knowledge of these contents by attending seminars, which constitute mandatory thematic modules. The second cycle is dedicated to deepening a central theme for each year, also developed in regular seminars.

The POIESIS training program aims to build a solid theoretical basis for sustained clinical practice. Training and Certification in Couple and Family Psychoanalysis or Couple and Family Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy includes three training components, which are linked to each other:

  1. Theoretical Seminars and Clinical Seminars
  2. Clinical Practice
  3. Supervision of Clinical Practice

1. Theoretical Seminars and Clinical Seminars

Theoretical and Clinical Training is developed over four years, for a total of 344 hours. They are distributed as follows:

– 200 hours of training in Theoretical Seminars;
– 84 hours of attendance at Clinical Seminars;
– 60 hours of Complementary Training: conferences, workshops, or other activities organized by Poiesis, by AIPCF (Association International Association of Couple and Family Psychoanalysis) or by the EFPP (European Federation of Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy).

2. Clinical Practice

It consists of systematic contact with clinical activity with couples and families, individually or in co-therapy.

POIESIS is not responsible for assigning clinical cases to candidate partners, this being the sole responsibility of the trainee.

Clinical cases of couples and families, from public institutions or private entities, are accepted.

3. Supervision of Clinical Practice

Clinical practice must be supervised, from the beginning of Training, by one (or more) supervisor(s) recognized by the POIESIS Scientific Committee. It should tend to have a weekly regularity, and may be individual and/or group.

The stay with a supervisor/supervision group will last for at least one academic year.

At the end of the training process, each trainee must have received supervision from at least two supervisors recognized by Poiesis.

25 hours of supervision must be carried out during the 1st year and 45 hours in each of the other years of training, totaling 160 hours.

Candidates who demonstrate that they have met the following conditions can apply for Training in Psychoanalytic Couple and Family Psychotherapy:

a. Have completed a Pre-Bologna Degree or Integrated Master’s Degree in one of the following areas: Psychology, Medicine, Nursing, or others, considered case by case, by the Scientific Committee
b. Have carried out a personal analysis (psychoanalysis, individual psychoanalytic psychotherapy, group analysis, psychoanalytic psychodrama) for at least 4 years, at least weekly, with a recognized psychoanalyst or psychoanalytic psychotherapist.
c. Have experience as a psychotherapist, with supervision

Admission to the Propedeutic Year

Candidates for the POIESIS propaedeutic year are those who have not yet completed 4 years of personal analysis, although they meet all other requirements. Your admission will be carried out through 2 interviews with members of the Scientific Committee. Only trainees who attend 25 hours of thematic seminars and, in the meantime, complete four years of personal analysis, completed or ongoing, will be able to move on to the 1st year of training. The graduate attending the Propedêuti Year You can also participate in other POIESIS training activities, including seminars with guest speakers and clinical seminars.

The application does not have a single season, without prejudice to the fact that entry into training can only occur at the beginning of the following academic year. You must request the Admission Interview to the email assopoiesis.comunicacao@gmail.com sending the following documents as an attachment:

Motivation letter
CV Europass – updated (with respective proof)
Certificate of Bachelor’s Degree, Master’s Degree or Doctorate
Proof of Personal Psychotherapy, Psychoanalysis or Group Analysis
Proof of Case Supervision
Conduct interviews with two members of the Scientific Committee.

Quotas and Training Fees

POIESIS fees are paid in three installments of €100 each: January, May and September, making an annual total of €300 (three hundred euros).

The training fee has an annual value of €250 (two hundred and fifty euros), payable in September.

The amount of dues and fees is intended for the Association’s current expenses.