Qualification criteria

Non-profit professional partnership

THE SOCIETY OF GROUP ANALYSIS

(SGA)

Saint-Petersburg

Adopted at the SGA TC meeting

dated as of 5 November 2010

with the editing of the SGA TC resolution

dated as of 22 May 2012

(approved at the joint meeting of the SGA CC and TC)

dated as of 26 December 2010

dated as of 13 November 2014

dated as of 26 November 2015

dated as of 21 January 2018, the #9 minutes of the TC

dated as of 31 May 2018.

QUALIFICATION CRITERIA IN SGA

1. CANDIDATE for Group Analyst

A Candidate for a Group Analyst is qualified to practice as a group analyst on behalf of the SGA only on condition of receiving supervision by a supervisor recognized by the SGA.

The requirements for receiving the SGA qualification status of a Candidate for a Group Analyst.

• Completed theoretical training in the course “The Basics of Group Analysis” or equivalent programs of elementary preparation recognized by the SGA. The completed training must be confirmed by certificates of the SGA or organizations recognized by the SGA.

The theoretical part includes a minimum of 30 academic hours of theory and 9 hours of seminars.

·  Participation in a minimum of 30 group-analytic sessions of personal training (90 minutes each) in one and the same small group-analytic group conducted by a training group analyst or a supervisor on group analysis recognized by the SGA.  It is recommended that there should be no more than one session a week (twice a week as an exception).  The training analysis should last a minimum of 9 months and a maximum of 15 months. On a ‘shuttle’ form of training which is away from St. Petersburg the number of small group sessions should not exceed 3 sessions a day (4 sessions a day as an exception).  The number of participants in a small group should not exceed 12 people.  Participation is confirmed by the certificate with the signature of the conducting group analyst.

• Participation in a minimum of 10 astronomic hours of a large (median) group-analytic group including all the participants and trainers of the course.  The participation is confirmed by the course director’s signature. 

The qualification of the Candidate for Group Analyst is issued on request of the aspirant through the resolution of the SGA Training Committee, with compulsory participation and the casting vote of the supervisor of the group-analytic group in which the aspirant took the training.  The supervisor’s written report where she / he recommends that the aspirant is capable of practicing independently under the supervisor’s control can also be accepted.

2. GROUP ANALYST

A Group Analyst is qualified to practice as a group analyst on behalf of the SGA.

The requirements for receiving the SGA qualification status of a Group Analyst.

• Having an equivalent qualification status in an organization with the qualifying standards accepted by the SGA or

• completion of theoretical training in the SGA “Diploma Course in Group Analysis” or equivalent programs of elementary preparation recognized by the SGA.  The theoretical part of the Diploma Course must include a minimum of 160 hours of seminars and lectures on the main psychoanalytical and group-analytical concepts and theories. Confirmed by certificates of the SGA or organizations recognized by the SGA.

· Participation in a minimum of 160 sessions (editing as of 26.11.2015) (90 minutes each) of group-analytic training in no more than two different group-analytic groups conducted by a training group analyst recognized by the SGA.  It is recommended that there should not be more than one session a week (twice a week as an exception). 

The ‘shuttle’ form of training which takes place away from St. Petersburg the number of small group sessions should not exceed 4 sessions a day.  Participation is confirmed by the certificate signed by the training group analyst.

• A minimum of 50 hours (editing as of 26.11.2015) of participation in a big (median) group-analytic group including all the participants and trainers of the course.  The participation is confirmed by the course director’s signature.

• A minimum of 120 hours of personal practice supervision in supervisory groups or individually (with compulsory participation in supervisory groups). 

Supervisory (intervisory groups) consist of 3-5 participants.  The groups meet regularly.  On a ‘shuttle’ form of training, the frequency of meetings of the supervisory group is set by the course director.  In intervals between the blocks, there is an intervisory group.  The membership in the intervisory group and recordings of the group must be available to the supervisor.  The group analyst cannot run supervisions of the participants of his current group.

• Having run a minimum of 80 group-analytic sessions (90 minutes each) as a conductor of a small group-analytic group (the group being shaped with assistance of the supervisor, the frequency of sessions being once a week, the frequency of supervisions (intervisions on a ‘shuttle’ form of training) being a minimum of one supervision (intervision) per 4 group-analytic sessions).  The group must be conducted for a minimum of two hours.  The practice is confirmed by the supervisor’s written report with work assessment and recommendation for independent practice.   

• Having the accepted qualification paper on completion of the Qualification Course (editing as of 26.11.2015)

The qualification of Group Analyst is issued on request of the aspirant through the resolution of the SGA Training Committee with the compulsory participation of the supervisor and her / his casting vote. The supervisor’s written report where she/he recommends that the aspirant is capable of practicing independently as a group analyst can also be accepted on completion of the specified standards and on the results of the presentation and discussion of the aspirant’s work at the Training Committee.

3.  SUPERVISOR in Group Analysis

A supervisor is qualified to supervise on behalf of the SGA the work of group analysts conducting group-analytic groups and is entitled to give a written assessment of this work.

A supervisor is qualified to conduct training groups at courses equivalent to “The Basics of Group Analysis”.

The requirements for the permission to work as a supervisor in group analysis.

• Having an equivalent qualification status in an organization with qualifying standards accepted by the SGA or
• having a status of Group Analyst.

· Having a clinical experience of a minimum of 120 qualification sessions (90 minutes each) of practice as a group analyst at a minimum of three small group-analytic groups for a minimum of three years after receiving the qualification of Group Analyst, including the experience of conducting a large (median) group.  Furthermore, one and the same group should receive a minimum of 40 group sessions, no often than twice a week or four sessions a day on the ‘shuttle’ form of conducting groups.  The frequency of conducted groups supervision is a minimum of one supervision per 4 sessions.

Qualification hours are counted for after receiving a status of Group Analyst.

The status is confirmed by the reports from two supervisors, with the reports including the number of group sessions and hours of supervision, as well as the assessment of the work and recommendation for supervision in group analysis.

· Completion of the training course on supervision in group analysis arranged by the SGA Training Committee or organizations recognized by the SGA.  If a candidate for a supervisor has not completed the supervisory course, he / she should take it at the earliest real opportunity on condition of this course being accredited by the SGA (the #9 minutes as of 25.01.2018, Training Committee).

· Participation in the SGA professional activity.

· Participation in group-analytic seminars, conferences, group analyst development courses, training at introductory courses, lecturing on group analysis, publishing works on group analysis, etc.

• Having a minimum of 20 hours of teaching experience in the theory and practice of group analysis and / or having articles, other publications, study guides on theory and practice of group analysis.  The teaching experience is confirmed by the written report of the course director.  The report includes the course program and content, the amount of the aspirant’s teaching experience, the list of group analysis theoretical elements taught by the aspirant and assessment of his/her teaching. The report is co-signed by the director of the organization on whose behalf the course on group analysis was delivered and which is recognized by the SGA.

The qualification of the Supervisor in Group Analyst is issued on request of the aspirant, a member of the SGA (editing as of 13.11.2014) through the resolution of the SGA Training Committee on completion of the specified standards and on the results of the presentation and discussion of the aspirant’s work at the Training Committee.

4. TRAINING GROUP ANALYST

A Training Group Analyst is qualified to practice independently on behalf of the SGA as a training group analyst for the group-analytic training group with the right to issue a participation certificate on behalf of the SGA.

The requirements for the permission to work as a supervisor in group analysis.

• Having an equivalent qualification status in the organization with qualifying standards accepted by the SGA or
• having a status of a Supervisor in Group Analysis.

· Having a clinical experience of a minimum of 280 qualification sessions (90 minutes each) of practice as a group analyst at a minimum of three small group-analytic groups for a minimum of three years after receiving the qualification of the Supervisor in Group Analysis, including the experience of conducting a large (median) group.  Furthermore, one and the same group must receive a minimum of 40 group sessions, no often than twice a week or four sessions a day on the ‘shuttle’ form of conducting groups, the frequency of supervision of ongoing groups is a minimum of one supervision per 4 sessions.

Qualification hours are counted for after receiving a status of Group Analyst.

The status is confirmed by the reports from three supervisors, with the reports including the amount of conducted groups in hours, the number of supervisions in hours, assessment of the work and recommendation for practice as a training group analyst.

• Having experience in running different types of psychodynamic groups.

The qualification of the Training Group Analyst is issued on request of the aspirant, a member of the SGA (editing as of 13.11.2014) through the resolution of the SGA Training Committee on completion of the specified standards and on the results of the presentation and discussion of the aspirant’s work at the Training Committee.

When recovering or readmitting the SGA membership, those who left the SGA or lost their SGA membership remain in their qualification statuses.  However, if during their absence in the SGA the qualifying standards for a certain qualification category have changed, the Training Committee consider whether the qualification of a certain specialist meets the adopted changes and thus either reassign the qualification category or assign the category which the specialist complies with (editing as of 05/31/2018).