Certification

Certification and Accreditation Code

Criteria and procedures for Certification of individual members

1. Preamble

1.1. ECPP is issuing certificates for individual members: PC (practitioner certificate) – SC (supervisor certificate) and TAC (training analyst certificate).

1.2. ECPP has established criteria to define the minimum qualifications required for certification.

1.2.1. Criteria for PC:

To receive ECPP certification as practitioner, the applicant must have a total training of at least 3.200 hours.

The training is composed of a general training of at least three years of university (Bachelor degree) or equivalent, mainly in a branch of Human Sciences.

It is also composed of a specific training in psychoanalytic psychotherapies of at least 1400 hours spread over a period of at least 4 years.

This psychoanalytic training will enable the Applicant to understand the unconscious dynamics of the client, train in necessary intervention skills and integrate the theory and the practice through the training analysis.

The specific psychoanalytic training consists of:

• theoretical studies;
• training analysis;
• practice and supervision;
• placement in a mental health setting.

a. Theoretical studies

Theory should be drawn from modalities of psychotherapy that are psychoanalytic in nature.

Theory modules should include:

• theories and research underpinning psychoanalysis;
• the schools/history of psychoanalysis;
• relevant theories of change and development;
• theories of psychopathology;
• psychosocial issues in relation to psychoanalysis;
• transference and counter transference;
• psychological defences and resistance;
• object relation’s theory.

The theoretical training consists of at least 500 hours.

b. Training analysis

The goal of training analysis is working through of inner conflicts and experience of the psychoanalytic process, focused on transference and resistance.

The duration of the training analysis is at least 250 sessions[1].

c. Practice and supervision

The Applicant has to practise with clients for at least 300 hours in different settings: first interview, crisis intervention, short-term psychotherapy and long-term psychotherapy. The cases have to be supervised by at least two different supervisors.

The total quantity of supervision shall not be less than 150 sessions[2].

d. Placement in a mental health setting

The Applicant must have relevant professional experience with severe emotional disorders and mental illnesses within a mental health or psychiatric setting.

The Applicant must adhere to the Ethics Code of ECPP.

1.2.2. Criteria for SC and TAC:

To receive ECPP certification as training analyst (TAC) or/and as supervisor (SC), the Applicant must:

• be an ECPP certified psychotherapist (PC holder);
• have at least 5 years of practice as a psychoanalytic psychotherapist;
• have had at least 300 sessions of supervisions or intervisions;
• for SC: be recognized as supervisor by a reputable (regional or national) professional association for at least 2 years;
• for TAC: have given training in a reputable training institute for at least 2 years.
  undergo continuous professional development in this field.
• scientific publications in psychoanalysis and case studies would be a benefit.

Professional statuses of the ECPP as training analyst or/and as supervisor are established on the base of the individual value in every case by the Certification and Accreditation Committee of the National Branch or/and ECPP.

1.3. The certification is based on a double check procedure, first on a national level – by the ECPP National Branch and its Certification and Accreditation Committee or by the ECPP National Representative – and secondly on the level of the ECPP by its Certification and Accreditation Committee.

These procedures are defined in this Code under point 2 and point 3 here below.

1.4. All the criteria and procedures are clearly indicated on the Website so that the Applicants are fully aware of the level of qualifications required and of all the information requested.

1.5. ECPP holds a Register of all certified members on its Website.

1.6. The ECPP Board fixes the Certification Fees. It is not refundable to the Applicant in case of non-approval.

If there is a National Branch in the country of the applicant’s main practice, the application will be sent to the N.B. The fee is paid to the N.B. and then transferred to ECPP. An additional charge for administrative costs may be charged to the applicant by the N.B. after approval of ECPP.

If there is no N.B. in the country of the applicant’s main practice, the application will be sent to ECPP and the fee paid to ECPP directly.

1.7.1. List of National Branches (NB) in 2020: National Branches

1.7.2. List of National Representatives in 2020: National Representatives

1.8. ECPP has been awarded by the EAP the status of EWAO for psychoanalytic psychotherapies.

Therefore, the National Branches and Representatives of ECPP mentioned in 1.7 are also the EWAO delegates for their respective country.

They are responsible for the awarding procedure for the European Certificate of Psychotherapy issued by the EAP.

1.9. All Applicants for certification must apply to the National Branch or National Representative with a complete file in English in duplicate.

The file must contain:

• the duly and legibly filled and signed Application Form;
• the duly and legibly filled CV document designed by ECPP with all information concerning the training of the Applicant;
• the following Ethical Statement signed and dated by the Applicant separately: “I agree with the Ethics Code and the ethical principles of ECPP and declare that I will comply with this Code in my professional practice. I am aware that a breach of this Ethics Code may result in the annulment of my certification and membership“;
• copies of all university diplomas, diplomas on psychoanalytic education in the psychoanalytical Universities, Institutes or Associations;
• a list of main professional works (articles, books,… ) can be attached.
• for certification as Supervisor (SC) or Training Analyst (TAC), all information related to the criteria as stated in 1.2.2 must be added accordingly in the CV document.

1.10. It is a normal duty for National Branches and National

Representatives to:

• help the Applicant with the procedure;
• handle all information with confidentiality;
• respect the ethical principles of ECPP in the certification procedure;
• avoid unnecessary delay in handling the application;
• check with diligence the application;
• provide ECPP with all relevant information obtained concerning an

Applicant or an already certified member.

2. Certification procedure via a National Branch.

2.1. The Applicant must be a member of the National Branch.

2.2. The Applicant sends two copies of the file to the National Branch and pays the Certification Fee to the National Branch.

2.3. The Certification Committee of the National Branch scrutinizes the file and decides to approve, postpone or refuse the certification.

2.4. In case of approval, copy of the file is sent to the Certification and Accreditation Committee of ECPP, with the Application Form signed for approval.

2.5. The Certification and Accreditation Committee of the ECPP gives the final ratification and approval for full membership.

2.6. ECPP adds the certified person to the Register on the Website and archives the approved Application Form and the Ethical Statement.

2.7. ECPP sends the Certificate (PC, TAC or SC) to the National Branch.

2.8. The National Branch pays the certification fee to ECPP.

3. Certification procedure via a National Representative.

3.1. The Applicant must be a member of ECPP and pays the Certification Fee to ECPP.

3.2. The Applicant sends two copies of the file to the National Representative with a proof of the payment of the Fee.

3.3. The National Representative scrutinizes the file and sends the duplicate of the file to the Certification and Accreditation Committee of ECPP together with a short report about his recommendation to approve, postpone or refuse the application.

The National Representative bears complete responsibility on the authenticity of all data.

3.4. The ECPP Certification and Accreditation Committee takes the final decision and informs both the Applicant and the National Representative.

3.5. ECPP adds the certified person to the Register on the Website and archives the approved Application Form and the Ethical Statement.

3.6. ECPP sends the Certificate (PC, SC or TAC) to the certified person directly.

4. Special procedure for holders of the European Certificate of Psychotherapy in psychoanalytic psychotherapies.

As their qualifications are matching the criteria of ECPP, and in order to support EAP, a special procedure is foreseen for ECP holders when they apply for a Practitioner Certificate (PC of ECPP).

4.1. The Applicant must be a member either of ECPP or a National Branch.

4.2. The Applicant pays the Special Certification Fees to ECPP.

4.3. The Applicant presents directly to the Certification and Accreditation Committee of ECPP only the Application Form of the ECPP together with the Ethical Statement and a copy of the European Certificate of Psychotherapy.

4.4. The Committee may check the validity of the ECP with the EAP authorities. ECPP adds the certified person to the Register. ECPP sends the certificate to the certified person. ECPP archives the Application Form with the copy of the ECP and the Ethical Statement.

5. Appeal procedure

In case a National Branch or a National Representative refuses an application, or is not handling an application within six months, the Applicant is entitled to appeal to the decision or lack of decision.

The Applicant may write directly to the Certification and Accreditation Committee of ECPP asking to check directly the complete application file.

The Committee will scrutinize the file and ask the National Branch or Representative for a report or a hearing.

The Committee must take a decision within six months, and this decision will be final.

[1] Group sessions will be accounted at 50%.

[2] Group supervisions will be accounted at 50% .