FAQ

What’s the difference between a psychotherapist and an analyst?
All psychotherapists, including analysts, go through varied educational and licensing programs according to the type of their degree. Analysts are licensed psychotherapists who have chosen to undergo extensive training beyond the requirements of licensure. The goal of training is to cultivate and broaden a practitioner’s consciousness of self and to foster an increased depth of therapeutic capacity.

How is the program to become an analyst structured?
Candidates in analytical training join our learning community and gain a working knowledge of Jungian concepts during four years of participation in weekly seminars, recommended reading, and case conferences. In their third and fourth years, candidates have input into the selection of seminar topics and seminar leaders. Beyond seminars, a supervised analysis provides the candidate with a holding environment for integrating the experiences of their training into their own psychotherapeutic practice. Ongoing personal analysis provides the means for the candidate to further their own psychological growth. Upon completion of training, candidates are welcomed into our community as analyst members who continue to participate in the educational, administrative and social activities of our learning community.

How else do candidates in training participate in the Institute community?
In addition to training designed specifically for them, candidates in our program are welcome to attend intramural trainings offered to the in-house Institute community as well as most local, national and international conferences offered to members of the International Association for Analytical Psychology. Candidates participate in the Candidates’ Organization and have representation on administrative committees of the Institute.

What qualifications are needed to apply?
We welcome applicants who have a license from the State of California to practice psychotherapy and who have substantial experience in the field of psychotherapy. This includes psychiatrists who have completed a psychiatric residency (through PGY IV), Licensed Psychologists (PhD/PsyD), Marriage and Family Therapists (MFT), Clinical Social Workers (LCSW), Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors (LPCC), and Registered Nurses who are certified nurse specialists with a master’s degree in mental health nursing (CNS).

Beginning with the Fall 2025 training cohort, applicants are required to have completed at least 150 hours of analysis and 50 hours* of consultation or supervision, all with a Certified Jungian Analyst, prior to their application to the training program. Most successful applicants possess a basic understanding of Analytical Psychology.

*THE CONSULTATION requirement can be met through individual and/or small group consultation of up to 4 people. Group consultation hours may account for no more than 25 of the 50 consultation hours. Pre-licensure supervision or post licensure consultation both qualify. ALL 50 HOURS MUST BE WITH A CERTIFIED JUNGIAN ANALYST.

How long does the San Francisco training program last?
All candidates attend four years of weekly seminars, but after that the timeline for completion of training is highly individual. Our training is based on personal development rather than the standard academic model of achievement, so the program is designed for candidates to monitor their own emerging sense of readiness and to progress through training at a pace that suits their individual needs.

What does the training cost?
The yearly tuition covers all costs of seminars and group case consultation (including the granting of CEUs). Candidates pay separately for their individual analysis and individual case consultation. Many analysts at our Institute offer reduced fees to candidates.

Are any scholarships available?
If you work at least half time in a public mental health setting you may be eligible for our Public Service Fellowship. For more information about this possibility, please contact Helene Dorian at (415) 771-8055, ext. 210, and she will connect you with the current Chair of our Admissions Committee.

Can you do the program by some form of distance learning?
Since the program presupposes weekly candidate seminar meetings over four years, and entails ongoing analysis and personal relationships within the local analytical community, we can only consider applicants who are within regular driving distance of the San Francisco Bay Area, generally considered to be within 150 miles of the Institute.

Is there a standard national or international curriculum for becoming a Jungian analyst?
Jungian training programs are independent and based on perceived regional needs and the traditions of each society. In North America, the various training societies consult at an annual training directors’ meeting, and there is much overlap among programs, but no two programs are identical in structure, emphasis, and details.

What degrees do you grant?
While we offer certification in analytical psychology we are not a degree-granting institution. Several institutions in California do offer clinical or philosophical MA/PhD programs with a Jungian orientation. Our Public Programs also offer ways to learn more about Jungian psychology.