Why training in couple work is necessary

Adult couple relationships are a place where the earliest object relationships and embodied experiences will be evoked and brought to life between partners. Couple psychotherapy specifically regards the relationship as the primary patient as well as considering both partners in the couple as patients in treatment. The capacity to sustain nourishing or ‘good enough’ relationships is the single most important factor in establishing mental wellbeing. Working with the couple relationship can have an enormously stabilising effect for both partners in a couple as well as in a family, chosen or of biological origin, and can mitigate the transfer of intergenerational damage to the children and other family members.

Objectives of the training program

This training program is primarily concerned with the couple – how couples work, interact, develop and the difficulties that they often face. By ‘couple’ we mean any adult partnerships regardless of sexual orientation or gender, living together or apart. By family, we mean not only families of genetic origin, but also a chosen family.
 
The training draws primarily on psychoanalytic theory, including various theoretical cross-fertilisations with attachment theory, object relations, the relational perspective implicit in the work of Balint, Winnicott, Fairbairn and Bion, post-Kleinian thinking, self psychology, intersubjectivity theory, Analytic theory, infant research and Mentalization-based theory.

Course aims

  • The training program offers a specialised focus on and application of the theory and practice of psychoanalytic psychodynamic psychotherapy with ‘the couple as patient’.
  • It aims to enable the clinician to make use of and integrate their previous experience and training of psychoanalytic/psychodynamic theory and develop an understanding of the psychoanalytic/psychodynamic concepts as they relate to the couple relationship.

 

Process of the training program

The two-year program consists of weekly online sessions (75 minutes), facilitated by a ‘training’ couple consisting of experienced ACPP full members, in which theoretical papers are discussed and clinical case material is presented in alternative weeks. The clinical presentations provide the opportunity for concepts developed in the theory seminars to be recognised and identified in the clinical context.

Content of the training program

The training intends to provide trainees with new skills in understanding and working with couples, but it also deepens and contextualises clinical work with individuals as well as families. The main focus of this training is the impact of the unconscious on the inner world of the relationship and how this manifests in the difficulties with which couples present. Social and political realities, discrimination and diversity are also considered because these aspects interact with and become internalised in the couple’s shared unconscious world.
 
The first year covers a number of psychoanalytic concepts, especially those that are essential for understanding unconscious couple interaction. Whilst not an exhaustive list the program will cover many of the following concepts:
The Creative Couple, Couple State of Mind, Projective Identification, Shared Unconscious Phantasy, Shared Defences, Oedipal Conflicts, Falling in Love, The Couple as Container, Intimacy vs Separateness, Narcissism, Borderline States, Adhesive Identification, Psychotic states, Transference, Countertransference, Sexuality, Masculinity and Femininity, Race and other matters of diversity and discrimination (although the aim is that diversity is reflected upon throughout the seminars).
 
In the second year, the theory seminars continue to study psychoanalytic concepts as they are applied to couples and specific psychoanalytic couple concepts, focussing on more demanding and complex areas. Although not an exhaustive list (and this may change as the program develops and as we receive feedback) the program may include:
Interpretation and technique, the Violent couple, Suicidal States, Perversion, Couples as Parents, Loss and Mourning, Sexuality, Same Sex Relationships and other Gender Identities, Polyamory, Assessment, Endings, Infidelity, Mentalization, Sexual difficulties, Infertility, Race and Couple dreams.
 

 

Costing of the training program

The training program runs over 24 months with 8 contact sessions per school term. The sessions are invoiced monthly, and trainees are required to commit to the whole program regardless of absenteeism unless prearranged. The session cost will be determined by the training couple facilitating the program and will be invoiced monthly.

Qualifications and experience required to apply for the program

  • Registration with the HPCSA or SACSSP or SA Nursing Council.
  • A Master’s degree in mental health or mental health training with additional experience such as a two year infant observation course, which would have equipped the candidate with a capacity for reflective or psychoanalytic thinking.
  • Participants would have had some personal therapy.
  • A basic knowledge of Psychoanalytic Theory and practice is necessary.
  • Some exposure to couple work, or the intention to start with a couple as the course starts. Supervision of the couple work at least monthly with an ACPP member is recommended.
  • Willingness to commit to attend and pay for the two years of facilitated group training.
  • The option of committing to belong to an ongoing peer supervision group for full membership of the ACPP.

APPLICATION TO JOIN THE TWO-YEAR COUPLE PSYCHOANALYTIC PSYCHOTHERAPY TRAINING ORGANIZED BY THE ACPP

The next ACPP training programme to commence in 2028.

Name*
Address*

Number of years of clinical practice:
Are you, or have you been in clinical supervision?*
This would be a prerequisite for the training with supervision preference with an ACPP member.
Have you had your own therapy or analysis?*
If you are interested in applying for the training program, please contact info@acpp.org.za.