Chapter 13 The Twilight of the Training Analysis System1

What follows is the outline of a proposal for a fundamental renovation of the educational task of psychoanalytic education. I apply this proposal to the particular situation of the American Psychoanalytic Association (APsaA), but I believe that the general analysis that follows applies to the International Psychoanalytic Association (IPA) community as well. Given the complexity of APsaA, many aspects of this proposal may be illustrated with this focus. I shall focus specifically on the application of the proposed model to APsaA.

I believe there exists, nowadays, general agreement in our psychoanalytic community regarding major external challenges to psychoanalysis. There is serious skepticism of psychoanalysis in the realms of the biological and psychological science: in neurobiology, where rapid development of knowledge impinges on the psychoanalytic theories of motivation, development, and psychopathology; in the area of psychiatric treatment, where psychopharmacology has become de rigeur for a number of conditions earlier treated by psychoanalysis; in the area of psychological treatment, where cognitive behavioral psychotherapy has achieved mainstream acceptance for a broad array of disorders, and, more fundamentally, throughout the entire scientific community there prevails a critique of the lack of empirical research on the part of the psychoanalytic profession. Further, there has been a growing critique coming from federal funding sources and private insurance companies of psychoanalysis

as a too long term, too expensive, non-empirically validated treatment, creating a cultural shift away from psychoanalysis as an elitist pursuit for the wealthy. The cultural critique of psychoanalysis at this time is also related to the dominance of anti-individualistic and anti-subjectivistic currents that reflect a societal trend toward pragmatic problem solving and quick fixes. Psychoanalysis has been diminished by psychiatry