General principles and organization of training in Group Analysis in SGA

(For information about the ongoing and planned courses please click here.)

General provisions

The Society of Group Analysis (SGA) offers a range of professional training courses in group analysis in several areas and levels. 

Introductory meetings:

one-time seminars, lectures, demo groups.

Standard professional training of future specialists

• Stage 1.  The SGA training program “The Basics of Group Analysis” (90 hours, 1 year)

On successful completion of the course a student is qualified by the SGA as “a group analytic candidate” (To familiarize with the provision on qualification statuses of the SGA professionals please click here.)

• Stage 2.  The SGA training program “Qualifying Course on Group Analysis” (690 hours, 4-5 years). 

On successful completion a student is qualified by the SGA as “a group analytic”.

Further development and professional support for the practicing specialists

• supervisions (individual, group);
• seminars on theory (one-time, regular).

All training courses on behalf of the SGA (seminars, training analysis, development courses, supervisions) pass accreditation by the Training Committee of the SGA.  Specialists who are allowed to teach, conduct training groups or supervisions must have a certain qualification required by the SGA.

Standard professional training of future specialists

The standard professional training is based on the standard training courses approved by the SGA, i.e. “The Basics of Group Analysis” and “Qualification course in Group Analysis”.  The structure, content and size of these courses corresponds to the similar training courses in the Institute of Group Analysis (London, UK) and are acknowledged by the European Group Analytic Training Institutions Network (E.G.A.T.I.N.), a European organization which regulates training in group analysis, with the SGA being its full member since 2013.

The training involves the following compulsory components:

• receiving regular personal supervision in a small (“training”) group-analytical group;

· participating in a big (middle) group;

• taking theoretical classes (lectures, seminars).

The Qualification Course involves all the components listed above and also

• shaping and running a group-analytical (“patient”) group for at least two years;

· receiving regular supervision of the work with the “patient” group.  Supervisions are usually conducted by the supervision group of the Course.  On successful running of the group this part is marked as “passed”.

· writing and defense of a theory paper and a diploma paper at the end of the Course.

Forms of training

The optimum form is full time. There are two options – standard training or block (“shuttle”) training. 

As for standard training, a student has an opportunity to receive a personal analysis in a “training” group-analytical group once a week, as well as to participate in other forms of training two or four times a month. 

“Shuttle” training is for those who cannot participate in the course every week, the reason for this being some compelling circumstances, such as place of residence.  In this case the training is delivered in three or four separate blocks.  There are usually four or five of such blocks in a year.  This form of training involves delivering courses away from Saint-Petersburg.

How to apply for training

You can learn about the ongoing and planned SGA events, as well as about opening of admission to a regular course here  and on the SGA profiles in facebook and VK.  However, it is recommended to contact the Course Director or to send an application form via email specified in the announcement.

It should be pointed out that due to its features the Basics of Group Analysis Course starts only if there are at least 12 participants.  To start the Diploma Course there are must be at least 20 participants.

History of group analysis training in the SGA

Professional training in group analysis by the SGA members began in 1998 when the first Russian development course “The Basics of Group Analysis” was organized and delivered on the basis of the East European Institue of Psychoanalisys (EEIP President’s order #II-25 dated 12/01/1998).  Later this course was licensed (Russian Federation Ministry of Education order #2825 dated 09/29/2000 about giving to EEIP, a non-governmental educational establishment of higher professional education, a license in programs of additional professional education “Theory and Practice of Group Analysis”;  License #24-0426 dated June 4, 2001).

So far members of the SGA have delivered 16 accredited courses in Basics of Group Analysis.  For a full list of courses and trainees who have successfully completed them please click here

Nowadays, the SGA specialists regularly organize and deliver introductory seminars, run training groups and conduct standard training at the development courses.  We have started pilot distance seminars and group-analytical groups online (via Skype, webinars, etc.).

This text is written by V. Shamov.