Frequently Asked Questions

While our classes are hosted online, PSP’s building is located at 313 S. 16th Street in Center City, Philadelphia (16th Street between Pine and Spruce Streets). PSP is convenient to all major highways (just blocks from the Schuylkill and Vine Street Expressways) and is convenient to public transportation including SEPTA Regional Rail lines (Suburban Station, 16th and John F. Kennedy Boulevard), PATCO Hi-Speed Line (16th and Locust Streets), Broad Street Subway (Walnut-Locust), Market Frankford Elevated Line and Subway Surface Lines (15th and Market) and Amtrak (transfer to Septa to Suburban Station).

Click here for a map.

Anyone can attend courses. PSP courses are open to the general public as well as to mental health professionals interested in furthering their careers. Many people are interested in taking courses in psychoanalysis for personal enrichment, and we invite those individuals to take courses at PSP. Our online courses are available globally and must be attended at their scheduled times in Eastern Standard Time (EST).

PSP is a dynamic and interdisciplinary online learning environment tailored for postgraduate mental health professionals from diverse backgrounds. Participants bring a range of credentials spanning psychology, social work, counseling, psychiatry, and psychoanalysis fostering rich discussions and cross-disciplinary collaboration. The setting emphasizes advanced theoretical exploration, practical application, and professional growth, with an emphasis on integrating diverse perspectives into clinical and organizational practice.

Modern Psychoanalysis, in the words of its founder, Dr. Hyman Spotnitz, is a theory of psychological treatment based on …“Freud’s theory and Freud’s method of therapy which has been reformulated on the basis of subsequent psychoanalytic investigation.” Whereas the classical method relies primarily on interpretive interventions, Modern Psychoanalysis utilizes a wide range of interventions including ego reinforcement, emotional communication, cognitive and symbolic approaches and resistance resolution. Our theory of treatment considers narcissistic, or “preoedipal” disorders, psychosomatic difficulties and schizophrenic reactions to be psychologically reversible. The Modern Analytic approach, while taking into account Freud’s libido theory, recognizes the significant role of mobilized but undischarged aggression in the development of these disorders and their subsequent therapeutic reversibility.

Our programs allow for flexibility in accommodating the student’s personal and professional life and each student proceeds at his/her own pace. The Certification program in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy (which is open to licensed mental health professionals who wish to expand their treatment skills) can be completed in as little as two years. The more intensive program in Modern Psychoanalysis consists of 24 courses followed by clinical training and this program can be completed in as little as five years, depending on the pace of the individual student. The certificate in Organizational Leadership, Dynamics, and Consulting consists of 8 courses and  3 practicum requirements that can be completed in as little as two years depending on the pace of the student.

Yes, we welcome visitors! Simply email info@psptraining.com with your contact information and someone will follow up with information on when you can visit.

Students who complete our training program in Psychoanalysis are awarded a nationally-accredited certificate enabling them to practice as a Psychoanalyst and to apply for state licensure as a Psychoanalyst in states where such a license is available. While PSP does not offer Masters or Ph.D. degrees at this time, PSP is supportive of people obtaining those degrees. Currently, the Boston Graduate School of Psychoanalysis offers a PhD in Psychoanalysis (http://www.bgsp.edu), and accepts credits from PSP.

Yes. PSP is a charter member of the National Association for the Advancement of Psychoanalysis (NAAP) and is accredited by the American Board for Accreditation in Psychoanalysis, Inc. Graduates certified by PSP are eligible for individual membership in NAAP.

All PSP courses are conducted online via Zoom or Google Meet. Classes take place on Saturday mornings and on weekday afternoons and evenings.

We recommend taking one or two courses before applying to the program. This will give you a better understanding of the program's requirements and commitments. Any coursework completed before applying will count towards the certificate, provided you have a master's degree.

Please reach out to our Admissions and Registration Coordinator at info@psptraining.com if you intend to matriculate.

Call the PSP Administrator at (215)-732-8244, ext. 409 she will be happy to assist you!