The Arbours Training Programme

The Arbours Training Programme provides an intensive three year preparation for the practice of individual psychoanalytic psychotherapy. Emphasis is placed on understanding the inner worlds and social relations of people in distress.

The programme involves lectures, seminars, workshops, personal psychoanalytic psychotherapy, supervised training cases, and placements in the Arbours Communities and Crisis Centre. Teachers are drawn from the Arbours Association and from a wide range of other experts in specialised subjects.

Seminars are held on two evenings a week, usually from 8.30 to 10.00, and on some Saturdays. Most seminars take place at 6 Church Lane, London, N8. In addition, throughout the programme trainees are expected to attend fortnightly clinical seminars on Tuesdays and monthly lectures on Wednesdays.

Trainees are expected to undertake two clinical placements. The first is at an Arbours long-stay Community, preferably during their first year of training. The second is at the Arbours Crisis Centre, working with the crisis intervention teams. Each placement is for a minimum of six months. We encourage trainees to do their long-stay communities placement on a residential basis; however, the residential aspect of the programme is flexible, and can be arranged to fit in with circumstances of work or family. It is therefore possible to remain in full time employment while completing all parts of the Arbours programme. Trainees on placement receive weekly supervision and are required to write reports about their work in the Community and Crisis Centre. These placements provide a unique opportunity for direct clinical experience.

On completion of the second year, subject to the decision of the Training Committee, trainees will be referred two individuals for psychotherapy and will work under weekly supervision for each case. Referral of training cases is usually made through the Arbours Psychotherapy Service. To complete the course, trainees present a final paper about their work with one of their training cases.

Trainees are required to be in individual psychoanalytic psychotherapy at least three times a week, starting upon acceptance to the programme and continuing for the entire period of their training. Trainees meet monthly with their Personal Tutors.

Every academic year consists of three terms of twelve weeks each. The number of trainees accepted each year is limited. All trainees are expected to have completed the Associates' Programme before acceptance into the Training Programme which starts in January.

Training fees are due before the beginning of each term and are usually increased every two years. The Lord Ashdown Charitable Settlement makes two bursaries per year available to trainees starting the Training Programme; these cover training fees for three years. Bursaries are awarded by the Training Committee on the basis of the applicant's motivation and financial need.

Upon successful completion of the course the trainee, subject to the decision of the Training Committee, will be awarded a Certificate in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy and be invited to join the Association of Arbours Psychotherapists (AAP). He or she can then attend the regular monthly Therapists' meetings and become part of the Arbours' referral network. All members of AAP are included in the Register of Psychotherapists of the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy.