4 – Year Program in Child & Adolescent Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy

This program was modeled on those offered by the Anna Freud Centre and Tavistock Clinic in London, England, and the Cleveland and Chicago programs in the United States. We maintain ties with analytic adult training programs in Toronto. The faculty consists of graduates of the program and psychoanalysts within the city who have experience in child and adolescent psychoanalytic psychotherapy.

CICAPP provides training in the theory and technique of psychoanalytic psychotherapy for professionals working with children and adolescents. Graduates are trained to assess for normal functioning, psychopathology and dysfunction, and to conduct, when indicated, intensive psychotherapy. The training qualifies graduates to consult, supervise, and teach in agencies concerned with child and adolescent mental health.

We are recognized with and meet all the standards and requirements of the College of Registered Psychotherapists (CRPO).

Program Goals

Psychoanalytic child therapists trained in the Canadian Institute of Child & Adolescent Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy are unique in the fact that they attempt to examine the inner world of the child and to understand the child’s organized ways of thinking, feeling and reacting.

• 4-Year Training Program – In the four years (part-time) of training, leading to a diploma in child psychotherapy and the option to register with the College of RegisteredPsychotherapists (CRPO) upon graduation:
• Integrate Psychoanalytic Theory – Candidates will learn to integrate psychoanalytic theory as it has evolved for over a century, with the discoveries of contemporary observational research in infant and child development.
• Affection of Interaction – Candidates will come to understand how temperament and infant – caregiver relationships interact to affect personality development and relational patterns.
• Common Presenting Problems – Candidates will learn about the common presenting problems in child psychotherapy, therapeutic action, and the therapeutic relationship.

Program Structure

Our CICAPP Board, following consultation and much discussion, has decided to make changes to the training program’s requirements in order to reflect the present proposed education requirements of the College of Registered Registered Psychotherapists.

Beginning in 2012, the CICAPP Training Program expanded for 4 years of training on a part time basis. This involves 30, 3-hour seminars per academic year for a minimum of 360 hours of education/training.

The clinical requirements include:

• 3 assessments
• 4 clinical cases
• Completion of a minimum of 200 supervision hours
• Completion of a minimum 450 client contact hours

Graduates of the new, intensive 4 year program will receive a diploma in child & adolescent psychoanalytic psychotherapy.

Academic Terms

The next four year program will begin September 2024. A new class intake begins once every two years.

Academic classes are held once per week, 6:30 PM – 9:45 PM from September to May. The Year One cohort beginning in 2024 will meet on Wednesday evenings.

Class location is at our training facility located at 427 Vaughan Road, Toronto, ON, M6C 2P1. TTC access is readily available as is local (free) street parking.

Distance Learning is available; please contact the administration office for more details.

Entrance Requirements

The Requirements For Admission Consist of

• A university degree, preference given to those in psychology, social sciences, humanities or health sciences
• Work and/or volunteer experience in the care and treatment of children.
• 3 letters of reference, including 2 from a supervisor or administrator familiar with your work.
• Minimum of 2 admission interviews.

Accepted Candidates Must:

• Provide satisfactory evidence of their ability to develop insight into their own psychological function.
• Must commence psychoanalytic psychotherapy in first year.
• Need to have a membership with the Canadian Association of Psychoanalytic Child Therapists (CAPCT) (this will be arranged after acceptance and with assistance from CICAPP)

Police checks are part of the comprehensive screening and admissions process.

Personal Therapy

Candidates must be in once or twice weekly psychoanalytic psychotherapy with an approved psychoanalytic therapist upon starting the training, and remain in therapy for the majority of their training.

Application Process

Applications are due by June 30. There is an admissions interview requirement. Along with the signed application form and personal statement, applicants are required to submit three letters of reference addressing their readiness for the program, academic transcripts, and must also complete the admission interviews.

The Program

This part-time program involves a curriculum of academic seminars, infant/toddler observation, and supervised clinical work. Instructors focus on key issues in child development, the therapeutic relationship, assessment and therapeutic interventions. A new class commences in September every alternate year ( 2022, 2024, 2026 etc.).

The academic year is divided into two terms of approximately 15 weeks each. Classes run from September to early June, one evening per week, 6:30 to 9:45 p.m. Classes are held in Toronto. Distance Learning is available for those residing outside of the GTA.

The Curriculum

In Year 1, candidates will be introduced to psychoanalytic theories and principles to broaden their understanding of child behaviour and development. Using guided readings and group discussion, candidates will explore childhood phenomena across ages and stages of development from various psychoanalytic viewpoints including classical Freudian theory, ego psychology, object relations, self psychology and relational psychoanalysis. Infant and toddler development will be examined in detail.

The following academic years focus on early childhood, latency and adolescent development, understanding family dynamics and working with parents. Assessment, formulation skills, and psychostructural diagnosis will be taught. Therapeutic and professional practice issues will also be covered.

Specific topics such as ADHD, anxiety, conduct disorders, depression, eating disorders, learning disorders, OCD, phobias, trauma and adoption are also covered as part of the core curriculum.

In the first year, candidates will undertake an observation of an infant in its family home and a toddler in a day care setting. Candidates’ weekly observations will be followed by class discussions on the psychoanalytic theory of infant and toddler development and their relationships with their caregivers.

Candidates are required to conduct a minimum of three assessments and four treatment cases. At least three separate stages of child development must be represented in this work.

Completion of the above academic and clinical requirements provide eligibility for clinical membership in the Canadian Association of Psychoanalytic Child Therapists. Additionally, graduates may apply for registration with the College of Psychotherapists as a Registered Psychotherapist, Child and Adolescent.