Columbia University Center for Psychoanalytic Training & Research (Columbia CPTR)

The Columbia University Center for Psychoanalytic Training and Research (also referred to as the Columbia Psychoanalytic Center) is a psychoanalytic training institute in New York City, established in 1945 as a school of Columbia University’s Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and a component of its Department of Psychiatry ^[5][6][2]. Founded as the Psychoanalytic Clinic for Training and Research, it was the first psychoanalytic institute affiliated with the American Psychoanalytic Association to be established within a university and medical school ^[5]. The Center offers certificate programs in adult, child and adolescent psychoanalysis, along with psychodynamic psychotherapy programs, and conducts research on psychoanalytic treatment and psychoanalytic education ^[7][8][5].

History

The Psychoanalytic Clinic for Training and Research was established on January 15, 1945 in the Department of Psychiatry of the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons ^[5]. Its founders were Sandor Rado, George E. Daniels, David Levy, Abram Kardiner, and Nolan D. C. Lewis; Rado became the Center’s first director, and Viola Bernard assisted in developing the first curriculum ^[5].

According to the Center, it was founded on the premise that psychoanalytic training would be enriched by a setting combining biological and medical-scientific disciplines with links to the social sciences and humanities, with a medical school department providing access to patients and a university affiliation permitting collaboration with the wider academic community ^[5].

Directors of the Center have been ^[5]:

• Sandor Rado, 1945–1955
• Abram Kardiner, 1955–1957
• George Daniels, 1958–1961
• George Goldman, 1961–1971
• Aaron Karush, 1971–1976
• John Weber, 1976–1981
• Ethel Person, 1981–1991
• Roger MacKinnon, 1991–1996
• Robert Glick, 1997–2007
• Eric Marcus, 2007–2017
• Susan Vaughan, 2017–2023
• Justin Richardson, 2023–

In 2020, faculty members published an account of a restructuring of the Center’s psychoanalytic training programs, in which the progression committee, the progression advisor role, candidate application to advance, and routine committee discussion of candidates were replaced by confidential mentorship and a system of trainee advancement; analytic competency for graduation is determined from written feedback on the candidate’s achievement of the Center’s learning objectives, the required number of months of supervised analysis and the required length of the longest case were reduced, and three-times-weekly analyses were accepted for credit ^[9].

Training programs

Psychoanalytic certificate programs

• Adult Psychoanalysis — the Center’s longest-standing program, comprising the candidate’s personal analysis with an approved training analyst, three weekly two-hour seminars, and intensive individual supervision of three or more psychoanalyses conducted by the candidate ^[10][8].
• Child and Adolescent Psychoanalysis and an adolescent-only program — taken in addition to adult training by those seeking to treat younger patients in analysis ^[8].
• Accelerated Child Psychoanalysis — psychoanalytic training in the treatment of children only, for those not intending to take adult patients into analysis ^[8]; the Center also describes an accelerated child and adolescent-only route open to psychiatry residents in their PGY-IV year ^[4].

The certificate programs feature a minimum of four and a half years of coursework together with weekly supervision of ongoing analyses, and graduates receive a Certificate in Psychoanalysis from Columbia University and become eligible for professional certification through the American Psychoanalytic Association ^[8]. The adult program is described as covering a period of not less than four years ^[10], and the curriculum page describes a five-year adult training program ^[11]. As of fall 2023, Monday classes are held in person and Thursday classes remotely, with supervision conducted remotely or in person by agreement ^[8][10]; classes meet Mondays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Thursdays from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. ^[12]. The Center states that it can provide an alternative extended training program tailored to candidates with substantial academic, research, or family commitments ^[10][12].

Curriculum

The adult curriculum is organized around six main topics — Theory, Critical Thinking, Technique, Process, Writing, and Research — with additional foundational courses such as Child Development and Psychopathology in years one and two, and advanced topics and electives, including Sexuality, Gender, and Diversity, in years four and five ^[11]. The four-year theory track moves from Freud through ego psychology, Klein and her followers, the British Middle School, self psychology, theoretical integrations, relational and field theories, and francophone perspectives, concluding with a course on controversies in psychoanalytic thinking ^[11]. A five-block case-writing course runs across the program and culminates in a senior case colloquium in the fifth year ^[11]; a four-year writing curriculum at the Center, based on a didactic method described as "layering," has been described in the psychoanalytic literature ^[13]. Faculty have also published on the Center’s use of curriculum design to encourage an interdisciplinary perspective on mind and brain ^[14].

Supervision

Each first-year candidate is assigned a supervisor from the Center’s roster of Training and Supervising Analysts (TSAs), and begins an analysis at a frequency of three to five times weekly with a suitable patient from private practice or referred by the Center’s Admission and Treatment Service ^[15]. A second supervision begins in June of the first year and a third is arranged in the second year, with candidates submitting supervisor preferences ^[15]. To complete training, a candidate must treat under supervision a minimum of three cases with three supervisors for a combined minimum of 60 months, with at least one case lasting 18 months or longer ^[15]. Trainees and supervisors meet twice yearly to discuss progress toward the Center’s learning objectives, and each supervisor issues a written report at the end of each semester ^[15].

Training analysis

Candidates must be in a four-times-weekly training analysis, beginning on or before the start of their first semester of classes and at least six months before starting their first psychoanalytic training case ^[16][3]. The analyst must be a training analyst at the Center, at the New York Psychoanalytic Society and Institute, or at the Psychoanalytic Association of New York; where the analyst is from another institute, the Director of the Center must confirm that the analyst is in good standing at their home institute ^[12]. Candidates wishing to work with a Columbia analyst who is not a TSA, or with an analyst at another institute, may apply for a waiver, granted case by case ^[16]. The Center states that the personal analysis is confidential, with the training analyst reporting only a twice-yearly statement that the analysis is ongoing or has terminated ^[16].

Psychotherapy programs

The Psychotherapy Division, chaired by Eve Caligor, MD, and the Child Division, chaired by Tim Rice, MD, offer specialized psychotherapy training programs delivered online ^[17]:

• Adult Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Program — two-year training with weekly didactic seminars and weekly individual supervision ^[17][4].
• Child and Adolescent Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Program — two-year clinical training in psychodynamic interventions with children, adolescents, and emerging adults ^[17].
• Transference-Focused Psychotherapy (TFP) — two-year training in a manualized, evidence-based treatment for personality disorders, offered in two online options ^[17].
• Parent-Infant Program — two-year training in conjoint treatment with mothers and infants, including a weekly seminar, individual supervision, and independent parent-infant observation ^[17][4].
• Trauma-Informed Psychodynamic Therapies — one-year program bridging psychodynamic thinking with techniques from trauma studies ^[17].

These programs accept licensed clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, and nurse practitioners ^[17]. Participants in the two-year programs receive access to Columbia University libraries and may enroll in Columbia student health insurance; the Center notes that participants in the trauma program are not yet eligible for these benefits or for a Columbia University Certification of Professional Achievement ^[17].

Other programs and introductory offerings

• Psychology Externship — a one-year program in the theory and technique of psychodynamic psychotherapy for senior PhD and PsyD candidates, who treat patients under supervision, attend classes with the Center’s candidates, and may conduct research with the Center’s research program ^[18][4].
• Psychoanalytic Fellowship — a competitive, free one-year fellowship for a small number of psychiatry residents and psychology graduate students, including a monthly "Great Ideas in Psychoanalysis" seminar, an individual mentor, and a pass to the American Psychoanalytic Association conference ^[4].
• Columbia Academy for Psychoanalytic Educators (CAPE) — two pilot training programs intended to develop the academic careers of the Center’s graduates, and a source of workshops and colloquia on teaching ^[18][11].
• Psychoanalytic Studies Program and Affiliate Scholars Program — offerings for members and, in the latter case, for scholars in other fields seeking to deepen their understanding of psychoanalytic theory ^[18].
• "Why Psychoanalysis?" — a free monthly seminar in which an analyst presents two sessions of a treatment for group discussion ^[4].
• Evening lectures — held on the first Tuesday of each month at the New York Academy of Medicine ^[4].
• Electives for medical students and psychiatry residents, arranged individually ^[4].

Admissions

Psychoanalytic training is open to psychiatrists and clinical psychologists ^[19][3]:

• Psychiatrists — residents in approved psychiatric programs or practicing psychiatrists with approved medical and psychiatric training, licensed in New York State; physicians must be in or beyond their final year of psychiatric residency ^[3][12].
• Psychologists — holders of a PhD or PsyD in clinical psychology from a program accredited by the American Psychological Association, licensed in New York State for independent practice, with inpatient and outpatient clinical background ^[3][12].

The Center states that it cannot accept applicants holding MSW, LCSW, or other degrees for psychoanalytic training ^[12]. Applicants must demonstrate theoretical knowledge and clinical experience in psychopathology, differential diagnosis, differential therapeutics, psychotherapeutic theory and technique, indications for psychopharmacologic treatment, and physical conditions presenting as behavioral problems ^[3]. Requirements for matriculation include licensure, malpractice insurance, an approved training analysis, and certificates of immunization ^[3].

The application consists of a written application, letters of recommendation from a professional training director, a fellowship director where applicable, and two clinical supervisors, followed by three or more interviews with faculty: an introductory interview, a clinical interview discussing psychodynamic psychotherapy cases, and a further interview with a member of the Admissions Committee ^[3][12]. Admissions are rolling; the Center reported that applications for the year beginning September 2026 were closed and that applications for the following academic year would open on October 1, 2026 and remain open through April 15, 2027 ^[3]. The Center’s frequently asked questions page states a May 1 deadline for the academic year beginning in September ^[12].

Applicants to the child and adolescent and adolescent-only programs must meet all requirements for the adult program and may apply simultaneously with the adult application; candidates matriculated in or graduated from an adult program at the Center or at another institute accredited by the American Psychoanalytic Association may apply at any time ^[3]. Applicants to the child program must demonstrate expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of children, though child psychiatry residency or a child psychology internship is not a prerequisite; candidates for adolescent-only training are not required to have prior child training ^[3].

Tuition and fees

The fee for a candidate’s training analysis is set privately between analyst and candidate, and the Center states that training analysts who are able to do so typically reduce their fees significantly for candidates ^[16]. As of the Center’s 2023 training analysis page, current candidates’ fees ranged from $100 to $400 per session and were evenly distributed across that range ^[16]. Just under half of trainees enroll in Columbia University student health insurance, which the Center states reimburses students 70 percent of the reasonable and customary fees of psychoanalytic treatment ^[16]. The Center maintains a tuition and financial aid page for its psychoanalytic programs ^[8].

Clinical services

The Center has provided psychoanalytic treatment to people in the greater New York metropolitan area since its establishment in 1945 ^[20], and offers low-cost psychoanalysis to patients in New York ^[19]. Clinical services are also offered by the Center’s licensed psychologists and psychiatrists through ColumbiaDoctors ^[1]. Patients who request psychoanalytic treatment through an online application are screened by telephone by the Case Intake Committee, which refers those for whom psychoanalysis may be appropriate to a candidate for a comprehensive in-person consultation and evaluation, and makes other referrals where psychoanalysis is not indicated ^[21].

Research

Research is described by the Center as a core part of its mission, pursued through empirical research and theoretical scholarship ^[1][5]. Past and ongoing research topics have included psychosomatic illness, gender identity, body image disorders, anorexia nervosa, sexuality, psychoanalytic education, infant development, dreams, character organization, creativity, psychobiography, the influence of culture on personality, psychoanalysis and medication, and the development of analytic identity, as well as outcome studies of psychoanalytic treatment and studies of low-cost clinic fees ^[5]. As of 2023 the Center reported projects including a multicenter national outcome trial comparing psychoanalytic treatment with other forms of psychotherapy and the use of MRI scanning to study structural change in analytic patients ^[22]. Candidates are encouraged to develop projects and to participate in the work of the research committee ^[5]; a prospective study of psychoanalytic practice and professional development conducted at the Center has included candidates as participants ^[23].

Faculty have published on psychoanalytic education at the Center, including its writing curriculum ^[13], interdisciplinary curriculum design ^[14], and its revised model of candidate assessment, advancement, and advising ^[9].

Governance

• Executive Committee — the governing body of the Center, comprising the program director, associate directors, division directors, committee chairs, and faculty representatives, with a candidate liaison present at each meeting; it has final approval for the selection and graduation of candidates ^[21].
• Director — Justin Richardson, MD, who chairs the Executive Committee and the Long Range Strategy Committee ^[7][21][6].
• Committee chairs — appointed by the incoming Director to five-year terms, with chairs selecting their own members except for candidate members, who are chosen by the Candidates Organization ^[21].

Standing committees include Admissions, Awards, Curriculum, the Evaluation Service–Case Intake Committee, Faculty Advancement, Faculty Development, Fellowship, Recruitment, Research, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and Training (formerly Progression) ^[21]. In the 2022–23 listing, division heads were Eve Caligor, MD and Anna R. Schwartz, MD (Psychotherapy), Alison Brown, PhD (Psychology), and Pamela Meersand, PhD (Child) ^[21].

Faculty include psychiatrists and psychologists working in traditions such as American object relations theory, ego psychology, self psychology, Kleinian theory, attachment theory, and neuropsychoanalysis ^[19]; trainees are a mix of clinical psychologists and psychiatrists who typically begin after completing residency or clinical internship ^[19].

Affiliations and accreditation

• Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Department of Psychiatry — the Center is a school of the college and a component of the department ^[6][2].
• American Psychoanalytic Association — the Center was the first APsA-affiliated psychoanalytic institute established in a university and medical school, and its graduates become eligible for APsA professional certification ^[5][8].
• Association for Psychoanalytic Medicine (APM) — the Center’s graduate society, which co-sponsors an annual weekend symposium ^[4].
• New York Psychoanalytic Society and Institute and Psychoanalytic Association of New York — training analysts at these institutes may be approved to analyze Columbia candidates ^[12].

The Center describes itself as a graduate program of Columbia University in which psychoanalytic theories and practices are examined through scholarship and debate ^[18][24].