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Psychoanalytic couple and family therapy

International Distance Learning Program
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Classes start on September, 2023
Course duration: 2 years
Online
The course is offered in collaboration between The International Psychotherapy Institute (Washington, DC) and International Psychotherapy School (Moscow).

The course in psychoanalytic couple and family therapy provides a solid foundation for working with couples and families in psychoanalytic approach and Object Relations Theory approach in particular. It aims at providing the students with:
  • the knowledge of Object Relations Theory, link theory, attachment theory and other essential elements of developmental theory that are needed for understanding families;
  • mastering techniques and methods of work with couples and families at all the stages of development.

The course starts with onsite seminars in Moscow (those who cannot travel to Moscow can choose an online participation option) and continues in a number of online seminars with approximate frequency of 3 times per months on Friday evenings.

During online seminars one will be presented with a wide variety of therapeutic and clinical principles. The second half of every class consists of clinical case discussion. Besides these class discussions all the willing participants may arrange additional group supervision. Those students who can participate only in theoretical and clinical seminars, will get the certificate for this part of the work only. Others who covered additional supervision hours will be eligible for an additional certificate in clinical practice.

The course duration is two years and there is another onsite closing School at the end of the course.

Would you like to learn more about the history, development and specifics of the family therapy? We invite you to read David Scharff's interview for academica.ru. Read the Interview
Program Structure
The Program includes 4 semesters
Semester 1
Classes will take place on Fridays.
12 theoretical/clinical seminars (24 academic hours)
12 group supervisions (24 academic hours)

The first Summer School on Psychoanalytic Couple and Family Psychotherapy takes place in June 14-18, 2019 in Moscow (40 academic hours).

Summer School teaching formats: lectures, clinical seminars, clinical case presentations, group supervision, discussions of videotaped session materials.

Course contents for Semester 1:

  • June 29 David Scharff: Brief intervention with a traumatized couple
  • September 13 Jill chair & presents: Play in family therapy - September 27 Jill Scharff (presents and chairs) When two become three - October 11 Susana Muszkat: Families with young children
  • October 25 John Zinner (Janine chairs): Projective Identification: A central concept for couple and family therapy.
  • November 1 Carl Bagnini: Tools for Reaching the couple as a small group
  • November 22 Yolanda Varela: How loss can trigger sexual trauma in a couple
  • December 13 Chris Clulow: Before, between and beyond interpretation
  • December 20 Janine Wanlass: Addressing Grief in Couple and Family Treatment
  • January 10 Caroline Sehon: Divorce and Remarriage: Effects on the children and the whole family
  • January 24 Anastasia Tsamparli: Couple therapy in a case of prolonged impasse and resolution
  • January 31 Jim Poulton: Assessing hidden aspect of couple relationships

Readings:
Freud Z. «On Narcissism» (SE 14) Caroline Sehon (Washington DC, US) Diagnostic Assessment of Couples and Children in the Family
Semester 2
Classes will take place on Fridays.
10 theoretical/clinical seminars (20 academic hours)
10 group supervisions (20 academic hours)

Course contents for Semester 2:
  • March 20 Amita Sehgal: The threatening third: Working with betrayal in couples (Janine chairs)
  • March 27 Damian McCann: The problem of individuals for couple psychotherapists
  • April 10 David Scharff: Aggression in Couples and FamiliesApril 17 Rich Zeitner: Combining Therapy Modalities
  • May 15 Hanni Mann-Shalvi: Three minds, one space
  • May 22 Carla Trusty-Smith: Conceptualizing Couple Cases from Clinical Vignettes.
  • May 29 Karen Proner: Applying Donald Meltzer's ideas to families and couples
  • June 5 Kate Scharff: Divorce: Knowing the Process and Addressing the Problems
  • June 19 Elizabeth Palacios: Links in Family Psychoanalysis: Mourning Processes when Children Become Adults
  • June 26 David and Janine: Reviewing the year with key concepts in mind
Semester 3
Classes take place on Fridays.
11 theoretical/clinical seminars (22 academic hours)
11 group supervisions (22 academic hours)

Course contents for the 3rd semester:
  1. Technical and practical aspects of psychoanalytic couple therapy;
  2. Technical and practical aspects of psychoanalytic couple therapy;
  3. Topics of clinical/theoretical seminars will be outlined in the course of treatment;
  4. Technical and practical aspects of psychoanalytic couple therapy (continued).
Semester 4
Classes take place on Fridays.
11 theoretical/clinical seminars (22 academic hours)
11 group supervisions (22 academic hours)

1. Technical and practical aspects of psychoanalytic family therapy;
2. The impact of developmental trauma on married couples and families;
3. Special issues in couple and family therapy (extramarital affairs, divorce, same sex marriages etc);
4. Topics for clinical/theoretical seminars will be outlined in the course of training.

Summer School 2019
MOSCOW SUMMER SCHOOL IN COUPLE AND FAMILY THERAPY

June 14-19, 2019

Faculty: David Scharff, MD and Janine Wanlass, PhD.

Readings from:
  • J. S. Scharff and D. E. Scharff, The Primer of Object Relations, 2nd Edition (In Russian)
  • D. E. Scharff and J. S. Scharff, Object Relations Couple Therapy. (In Russian)
  • D. E. Scharff and J. S. Scharff, Object Relations Family Therapy. (In Russian
  • J. S. Scharff and D. E. Scharff, Object Relations Therapy of Physical and Sexual Trauma (in Russian)
Schedule

Day 1 Friday

10:00-10:30 Welcome and introduction to course
10:30-12:00 Lecture Psychoanalytic theory for individual, couple and family therapy. Lect #1 David Scharff and Janine Wanlass
12:00-12:30 Coffee Break
12:30-1:30 PM Continuation of Lecture and Group Discussion Lect # 1 David and Janine
1:30-3:00 PM Lunch
3:00-5:00 PM Clinical video showing basic theoretical and clinical concepts (D & K) Introduction to use of transference and countertransference in assessment David and Janine
5:00-5:30 PM Break
5:30 –7:00 PM PRESENTATION OF A CASE BY A PARTICIPANT David Supervises

Day 2 Saturday
Family and Couple Therapy in Context

10:00-10:15 Welcome
10:15-11:30 Lecture: David and Janine Models of Therapy – individual, couple, family David Lect #2 Principles and technique of object relations family and couple therapy Janine Lect # 3
11:30-12:00 Coffee Break
12:00-1:30 PM Lecture: David and Janine Video: "I-O Family" Part I (countertransference exercise) Beginning of video Transference and Countertransference Lect # 4
1:30-3:00 PM Lunch
3:00-4:30 PM I-O Family video continued
4:30-5:00 PM Break
5:00-6:30 PM GROUP SUPERVISION, CASE PRESENTED BY RUSSIAN COLLEAGUE
Janine supervises

Day 3 Sunday
Family Development, Trauma and Loss

10:00-11:00 Lecture on development, trauma and loss Lect # 5 David and Janine
11:00-11:30 Countertransference exercise with video (PAJ)
11:30-12:00 Coffee Break
12:00-1:30 PM Video of adult family with loss (PAJ)
1:30-3:00 PM Lunch
3:00-4:30 PM Continuation of video and discussion of trauma and loss
4:30-5:00 PM Break
5:00-6:30 PM GROUP SUPERVISION, CASE PRESENTED BY RUSSIAN COLLEAGUE
David supervises


Day 4 Monday
Technique in Therapy

10:00-11:30 Lecture: David Technique in Individual, Couple and Family Analytic Therapy Lect # 6
11:30-12:00 Break
12:00-1:30 PM Lecture (Janine) How to start couple and family treatment
1:30-3:00 PM Lunch
3:00-4:30 PM Video: Couple and Family Assessment (H Family Part 1)
4:30-5:00 PM Break
5:00-6:30 PM PRESENTATION OF CHILD/ADOLESCENT CLINICAL CASE BY RUSSIAN COLLEAGUE Janine supervises

Day 5 Tuesday
Technique and Theory with Families and Couples

10:00-11:30 Lecture I - David Theory of Groups; Basic Assumptions; Use of Dreams. Lect # 8
11:30-12:00 Coffee break
12:00-1:30 PM Lecture Janine Technique in Couple and Family Assessment, Early Family Therapy (Janine)
1:30-3:00 PM Lunch
3:00-4:30 PM Sex Therapy Methods (PowerPoint) and Case presentation by David (Dr. & Mrs. T)
4:30-5:00 Break
5:00-6:00 PM Closing review of summer school and discussion – David and Janine
6:00 PM Adjourn
At the completion of the Program the graduates will get two diplomas and the following opportunities:
At the completion of the Program the graduates will get two diplomas and the following opportunities:
  • Requalification diploma. The diploma is granted on condition that the person meets all the norms and requirements of the training process (not less than 80% attendance and successful completion of all the necessary credits and exams);
  • The Certificate from International Psychotherapy Institute about successful completion of the academic program (provided in case of not less than 80% attendance.
  • (optional) the Certificate from International Psychotherapy Institute (IPI, US) that confirms the completion of clinical practice in couple and family psychoanalytic psychotherapy (one needs to have 50 hours of individual or 70 hours of group supervision).
  • The graduates may join the Division of Psychoanalytic Couple and Family Psychotherapy of the Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Society (PPS, Moscow) which is an Associated Group Member of the corresponding Division of the European Federation of Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy.
Duration and Tuition
Who May Aply
The Programs is designed for people not younger than 28 years old. One needs to have a degree in Psychology or Medicine and have not less than 1,5 years of private practice experience in any psychotherapy approach.
Admission Conditions
One needs to send an application and to be interviewed by the Program Director.
Hours and Schedule
2 academic years, 4 semesters or 260 academic hours. Classes are on Friday once a week. Classes stat at 16:00 (Moscow time).
Diploma
At the completion of the course one gets a requalification diplom.
Tuition
$1200 Semester ($4800 full two-years course) or $290 a month.
If you pay in one instalment, we offer you 10% discount ($4292).
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Venue for the On-site Event
Yaroslavskaya, 8, 8, Design Hotel, Moscow, Russia
Faculty
David Scharff (Washington DC, US)
Doctor of Medicine, the Head of «Psychoanalytic Couple and Family Psychotherapy» Program
Board Director of the International Psychotherapy Institute (US), Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Georgetown University, the Head of the IPA Couple and Family Psychoanalysis Committee, he authored more than 25 books on individual, couple and family Object Relations Therapy.
Jill Savage Scharff (Washington DC, US)
Doctor of Medicine, the leading teacher of «Psy-choanalytic Couple and Family Psychotherapy» Program
Child and adult psychoanalyst, couple and family therapist, Board Member of the International Psy-chotherapy Institute (US), she authored and co-au-thored a number of books on individual, couple and family Object Relations Therapy, she is also an in-ternationally recognized expert in online psychoa-nalysis.
Janine Wanlass (Salt Lake City, US)
Doctor of Philosophy, the Chair of «Psychoanalytic Couple and Family Psychotherapy» Program
Professor, adult, child, couple and family therapist, Director of the International Psychotherapy Institute (US). Psychology Teacher (ex-head of Psychology Department) in Westminster college (Salt Lake City, Utah, US)
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