A New Program at the WBCP
The Community Psychoanalysis Study Group and Task Force is excited to announce the inception of a new one-year program, the Community Psychoanalysis Certificate Program, which is slated to start September 2024. Over the past three years, we have met monthly to share our community experiences. We have also connected with other psychoanalytic teaching programs, attended various conferences, and met with potential partners from local and international community agencies.
A pivotal aspect of the CPCP is group work, which we believe is crucial for community involvement and amplifies its impact. We have decided to use the Balint method as the model framework for the group activities. To ensure we are providing the most effective training, we have liaised with leaders from the American Balint Society (ABS), and as a result, some of our faculty will be participating in the Balint Leadership Training Course in Pittsburgh in November. Additionally, several of us will be participating in online Balint groups, also facilitated by the ABS
The program will be focused on learning how to apply psychoanalytic principles in a community setting. It will consist of 2 sessions per month: one didactic class and one experiential Balint group session. Alongside, we have established several local and international community placements (either in person or by Zoom) that will be an integral part of the training, including St Ann’s Center for Children, Youth & Families, Jubilee JumpStart, YouthXYouth, and Learn Serve International.
Our initial intake targets will be licensed mental health clinicians from the DMV and Baltimore regions. Given our utilization of online platforms and the potential for virtual service placements, we foresee an expansion of our recruitment efforts both nationally and internationally. In a possible second year to the program, we are considering running several Balint groups led by program alumni to keep graduates connected and engaged with our program and the Center.
As we eagerly anticipate the launch of the CPCP, we recognize that the inaugural year will be a phase of learning and refining. This unique program will establish our Center as an innovator and leader in the growing national and international involvement in community engagement and social justice by psychoanalytically oriented clinicians and organizations. Importantly, it also profoundly aligns with our Center’s mission and our DEI initiatives.
Further details will be available on our website and through the listserve later this fall. Anyone interested in participating in the program, joining our steering committee or faculty, becoming a supervisor, learning how to run a Balint group or creating another service placement, please contact us. We have so much to learn from each other.
Deborah Feldheim and Joy Kassett,
Co-chairs