IPTAR — Institute for Psychoanalytic Training and Research (IPTAR)

The Institute for Psychoanalytic Training and Research (IPTAR) is a psychoanalytic membership society and training institute on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, New York City ^[1][3]. Founded in 1958 as a membership society for analysts interested in Freud’s theory and technique, it established its Training Institute in 1960 and is a component society of the International Psychoanalytical Association ^[7][1][8]. In addition to psychoanalytic training programs, IPTAR operates the IPTAR Clinical Center (ICC), a reduced-fee outpatient clinic serving the New York City metropolitan area since 1993 ^[1][4].

History

• 1958 — Founded as a membership society for analysts from a range of backgrounds ^[1][9]; the institute states it was founded by four women psychoanalysts ^[10].
• 1960 — The Training Institute is established, and IPTAR receives an absolute charter from the Regents of New York State to train psychoanalysts ^[1][9].
• 1993 — The IPTAR Clinical Center is formed, developing out of a reduced-fee psychoanalytic referral service begun in the 1960s ^[9].
• 1998 — The Respecialization Program is created for applicants from academic and professional fields outside mental health ^[9].
• 2000 — The Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy Program (CAP) begins ^[9].
• 2001 — The Intern-Externship Program in Psychoanalytic Studies is established for doctoral students in psychology or social work ^[9].
• 2005 — A Diversity Committee is created ^[9].
• 2006 — New York State approves IPTAR as a program leading to licensure in psychoanalysis, and IPTAR becomes a co-sponsor of the Anni Bergman Parent-Infant Training Program ^[9].
• 2008 — IPTAR is authorized by the United States government to train non-immigrant foreign students under the SEVIS Program ^[9][11].
• 2012 — The Freedman Center for Psychoanalytical Research is instituted by the Board of Directors ^[9].
• 2015 — The L. J. Gould Center begins offering a program in organizational consultancy and executive coaching, and the Integrated Track in Adult and Child Psychoanalysis is founded ^[9].
• 2019 — IPTAR joins with the Western New England Psychoanalytic Institute to establish the Hans W. Loewald Center ^[9].

Accounts of the institute’s entry into the International Psychoanalytical Association differ within its own publications: the institute’s history page states that IPTAR became a component society in 1989, described as one of the first non-medical institutes to do so ^[9], while its home page states that IPTAR became a member of the IPA in 1980 ^[10][12]. Records relating to IPTAR held in the International Psychoanalytical Association archive at the Wellcome Collection cover the period February 1986 to October 2005 and include site visit reports and correspondence ^[13].

Training programs

• Training in Adult Psychoanalysis — the core four-year-minimum program, built on the three components of training analysis, curriculum, and supervised psychoanalysis, also known as control work ^[5].
• Respecialization Program — a two-year pre-psychoanalytic sequence for holders of a master’s degree in any field, including the humanities, social sciences, education, law, medicine, and the arts; it marked its 25th anniversary in fall 2024 ^[14].
• Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy Program (CAP) — a certificate program in psychoanalytic work with children, adolescents, and families, consisting of coursework and a clinical component ^[15].
• Integrated Training Track (ITT) in Adult, Child and Adolescent Psychoanalysis — simultaneous training in adult and child psychoanalysis for candidates enrolled in the adult program or members of IPTAR ^[16].
• NYS License Eligible Program in Psychoanalysis (LP) — the adult curriculum plus courses in child abuse identification, research in psychotherapy, and ethics, leading to eligibility for the New York State psychoanalysis licensing examination ^[17].
• Externship/Practicum (Pre-Psychoanalytic Training) Program — placements for advanced doctoral psychology students and social work practicum students under the auspices of the ICC ^[18].
• The Anni Bergman Parent-Infant Program — training in infant observation and psychoanalytic parent-infant psychotherapy, begun in 1997 at the Contemporary Freudian Society and jointly sponsored with IPTAR since 2006 ^[19].
• The Gould Center for Psychoanalytic Organizational Study and Consultation — systems-psychoanalytic study of groups, organizations, and society, currently offering case conferences ^[20].
• International Candidate Program (SEVIS) — since April 2008, IPTAR has been permitted to issue Form I-20 to accepted non-immigrant foreign students applying for an F-1 visa ^[11].
• Beyond the Basic Curriculum (BBC) — a rotating series of short continuing-education courses of roughly four to eight weeks, open to members, candidates, and the wider psychoanalytic community ^[21][18].

The curriculum across the training programs is described by the institute as governed by a contemporary Freudian perspective, incorporating object relations theory, self psychology, and attachment theory ^[22][5]. IPTAR operates on a quarterly academic schedule, with two eight-week courses offered each quarter for each program ^[15]. The adult curriculum covers early development and mental structure, four sequential Freud courses, contemporary Freudian theory, psychoanalytic diagnosis, technique, and case seminars in the first two years, followed by courses on Klein and the neo-Kleinians, Winnicott and the Independent Group, and further case seminars ^[23].

In the adult program, candidates treat two analytic patients at a frequency of four times per week under the supervision of an IPTAR Fellow, one case for a minimum of three years and a second for a minimum of two ^[5]. Unlicensed candidates are required to carry ten supervised clinical hours per week at the ICC during the academic year and receive supervision at no charge; licensed candidates who cannot practice independently are required to work five hours per week at the ICC ^[5]. The CAP program requires two training cases under weekly individual supervision, a final written report on one case, and an oral presentation to a committee ^[15].

The institute offers several scholarships, including the Enrico Jones Diversity Scholarship, which provides a stipend covering the first year’s tuition and may be renewed annually, tuition scholarships for the CAP program, and need-based grants attached to the adult clinical practicum model ^[22].

Admissions

• Adult Psychoanalytic Training Program — for applicants in the mental health professions holding at least a master’s degree who are licensed or enrolled in a program leading to New York State licensure ^[24][5].
• Respecialization Program — for applicants with at least a master’s degree in the humanities, social sciences, or the arts ^[24][14].
• CAP Program — for applicants with a master’s or doctoral degree in a mental health profession, an LP, or enrollment in a license-granting psychoanalytic training program ^[24].

All programs require transcripts, two letters of recommendation, and a personal statement ^[24]. The admissions committee reviews applications and the admissions chair arranges two interviews before a decision is communicated ^[24][5]. For the 2026–27 cycle, the CAP application deadline is June 1, 2026, while the adult and respecialization application periods are listed as closed ^[24][5][14]. Respecialization candidates are required to be in psychotherapy during the two years of the program, and a deposit of $500, credited against the first tuition payment, secures a place in the incoming class ^[14].

IPTAR states that it does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national and ethnic origin, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, marital status, military status, or other legally protected characteristics in candidate admissions, membership, hiring, or the provision of courses and treatment ^[1][24].

Tuition and fees

Tuition schedules for the adult, respecialization, and CAP programs are published separately for each academic year ^{[24][15][5][14]}. Fees for the 2026–27 Beyond the Basic Curriculum continuing-education courses are tiered by affiliation:

• Four-week course (6 CE credits), September 2026 — $240 general admission, $220 IPTAR members, $200 IPTAR candidates ^[25].
• Five-week course (10 CE credits), October–November 2026 — $400 general admission, $300 members, $280 candidates ^[26].
• Six-week courses (9 CE credits), November 2026 to March 2027 — $480 general admission, $330 members, $300 candidates ^[27][28][29].
• Eight-week course (12 CE credits), April–May 2027 — $640 general admission, $440 members, $400 candidates ^[30].

Registration for a three-CE-credit Sunday event held in May 2026 was priced at $50 for candidates, $85 for IPTAR members, and $95 for non-members ^[31].

Clinical services

The IPTAR Clinical Center (ICC) has operated since 1993 and offers adult, adolescent, and child psychotherapy and psychoanalysis at 1651 Third Avenue, Suite 205 ^[4]. Services include:

• Adult treatment — psychoanalytic psychotherapy and psychoanalysis at frequencies ranging from once weekly to five times weekly ^[4][32].
• Child and adolescent treatment — play therapy, psychotherapy, psychoanalysis, and guidance for parents ^[4].
• IPTAR Assessment Center — reduced-fee psychoeducational and neuropsychological testing for individuals aged 6 through adult ^[4].
• On-Site School Program — psychotherapeutic services delivered within New York City public schools serving children from under-resourced backgrounds ^[4][33].
• Asylum Program — established in May 2007 with the Human Rights Clinic of Health Right International, providing pro bono individual dynamic psychotherapy to people seeking asylum in the United States ^[4][34].

Treatment is provided by candidates in advanced postgraduate training at IPTAR and by graduate students on externship, internship, and field practicum placements, supervised by licensed clinicians ^[4]. The ICC is in network with the Empire Plan, NYSHIP SEHP, NYSHIP HMO – EmblemHealth, and the Emblem Millenium Network, and provides superbills for out-of-network reimbursement; for patients paying out of pocket, the institute’s website states that sliding-scale fees typically range from $65 to $250 per session ^[4]. The center lists treatment availability in Croatian, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Korean, Russian, Serbian, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, and Yiddish ^[4].

The On-Site School Program reports having treated over 700 students and provided training to 124 therapists since 2002 ^[33]. In 2013 the program received the American Psychoanalytic Association Educational Achievement Award, which honors psychoanalytically informed work with educators and schools ^[33][9]. The institute’s home page describes the ICC as recognized by the American Psychoanalytic Association as one of the finest community mental health centers in the United States ^[10][12]; the ICC’s own page attributes a comparable recognition to the American Psychological Association ^[4].

Research

Research at IPTAR is coordinated by the Freedman Center for Psychoanalytical Research, instituted by the Board of Directors in 2012 and named for Norbert Freedman ^[9]; the institute states that the center’s empirical work has led to publications in psychoanalytic journals and presentations at national and international conferences ^[1]. The ICC has conducted ongoing research on the effectiveness of psychotherapy provided by its clinicians, with results published in the Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association in 1999 and used in several doctoral dissertations ^[35]. Work arising from the school-based service has been presented at the Tavistock Centre’s first European conference on child and adolescent mental health in educational settings and published in the Journal of Infant, Child, and Adolescent Psychotherapy ^[36].

Affiliations and accreditation

• International Psychoanalytical Association — IPTAR is a component society; graduates receive IPA membership and the right to use the credential "FIPA" ^[7][8][5].
• Confederation of Independent Psychoanalytic Societies — membership is conferred on IPTAR members and program graduates ^[7][5][37].
• New York State Education Department Office of the Professions — IPTAR holds an absolute charter from the Board of Regents ^[8][23] and is listed as an approved entity under waiver number 195, valid from March 14, 2024 to March 31, 2027 ^[2].
• Contemporary Freudian Society — co-sponsor of the Anni Bergman Parent-Infant Program since 2006 ^[19].
• Western New England Psychoanalytic Institute — co-founder with IPTAR of the Hans W. Loewald Center in 2019 ^[9].
• North American Psychoanalytic Confederation (NAPsaC) — listed as a membership benefit on the institute’s former membership portal (page dated 2020) ^[8].

Under its New York State waiver, IPTAR is approved to offer professional services through qualified individuals in licensed master social work, licensed clinical social work, licensed mental health counseling, licensed marriage and family therapy, licensed creative arts therapy, licensed behavior analysis, licensed psychoanalysis, psychology, and certified behavior analyst assistance ^[2]. A second setting is registered at 1651 Third Avenue, Suite 201 under certificate number 75 ^[2].

IPTAR is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists (#PSY-0026), by the State Board for Social Work for licensed social workers (#SW-0226), and by the State Board for Mental Health Practitioners for licensed psychoanalysts (#P-0011), licensed creative arts therapists (#CAT-0037), and licensed mental health counselors (#MHC-0112) ^[31][25][21].

Governance

IPTAR is governed by a Board of Directors composed of elected officers and other representatives of the IPTAR community and programs, which delegates administrative responsibility for education and clinical services to two appointed bodies: the Institute Board of Administrators, overseeing the adult psychoanalytic and respecialization programs, and the ICC Board of Administrators, overseeing clinical training at the IPTAR Clinical Center ^[6]. Governance is structured by the organization’s Bylaws, which may be amended only by the Board and the membership together, and by Procedures, which the Board may enact to meet operational needs; a Code of Ethics applies to all members of the IPTAR community ^[6].

Elected officers of the Board of Directors for 2024–2026 include ^[6]:

• President: Ellen Marakowitz ^[6]
• President-Elect: Eva Atsalis ^[6]
• Past President: Richard Reichbart ^[6]
• Treasurer: Anthony Mazzella ^[6]
• Secretary: Luisa Ospina ^[6]

Eva Atsalis serves as Dean of the Training Institute and Nadia Bassino Balta as ICC Director ^[6]. The IPA society roster likewise lists Ellen Marakowitz as President, with a begin date of July 1, 2024, and Anthony Mazzella as Treasurer from August 1, 2022 ^[7]. The IPA roster contains 154 listed individuals for the society ^[7]. Candidates maintain an independent Candidates’ Organization, which nominates candidate representatives to the three IPTAR boards ^[37].

Finances

IPTAR has been recognized as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization since July 1965 and files under EIN 13-6144019 ^[38]. Its IRS filings identify it as operating a school ^[38]. Figures from digitized Form 990 data are:

• Fiscal year ending August 2024 — revenue $1,499,593; expenses $1,388,123; net income $111,470; total assets $973,332; net assets $734,558 ^[38].
• Fiscal year ending August 2023 — revenue $1,444,244; expenses $1,615,281; net income −$171,037; net assets $592,981 ^[38].
• Fiscal year ending August 2022 — revenue $1,554,770; expenses $1,775,913; net income −$221,143; net assets $492,235 ^[38].

In the year ending August 2024, program services accounted for $1,369,788 of revenue and contributions for $121,032 ^[38].

Facilities

IPTAR’s premises at 1651 Third Avenue, Suite 205 include private offices available for rental by the hour, day, week, or month to licensed practitioners, together with a conference room used for lectures and meetings ^[39]. The building is described as ADA compliant with elevator access to the second floor ^[39]. Renters must sign an hourly rental agreement, name IPTAR as an additional insured on their liability insurance, and provide a copy of their professional license ^[39].