Return to News Articles

• Home
• News
• Programs & Monthly Events
• Self-Learning Programs in Behavioral Health
• View/Download Lectures & Papers
• En Español
• International (Virtual) Psychoanalytic Society
• Services
• Psychoanalytic Training
• Staff & Candidates
• Sponsors and Affiliates
• About the CJC
• Links

THE STATE OF ANALYTIC TRAINING AND ANALYSIS IN THE U.S (4/22/02)

This information was taken from the American Psychoanalytic Association Web page data. There might be other psychoanalysts in some of these States that are not members of the APA.

A) Zero (0) Psychoanalysts in the following States:

1) Iowa
2) Nebraska
3) North Dakota
4) South Dakota
5) West Virginia

B) Zero (0) Psychoanalysts in the following American possessions:

1) American Samoa
2) Guam
3) Virgin Islands

C) One (1) Psychoanalyst in the whole State

1) Alaska (one in Anchorage)
2) Idaho (one in Pocatello)
3) Mississippi (one in Jackson)
4) Oklahoma (one in Oklahoma City)
5) Utah (one in Salt Lake City)

D) Two (2) Psychoanalysts in the State of:

1) Arkansas (one in Huntsville, one in Jonesboro)

E) Three (3) Psychoanalysts in the State of:

1) Hawai (one in Hanalei, one in Kailua, one in Honolulu)
2) Wyoming (one in Gillette, one in Jackson, one in Teton Village)

F) Four (4) Psychoanalysts in the State of:

1) Alabama (one in Tuskagee, three in Birmingham)
2) Indiana (one in Anderson, one in Bloomington, one in Brookville, one in Indianapolis)
3) Montana (one in four different cities of the state)
4) New Mexico (one in Santa Fe, three in Albuquerque)

Some of the Psychoanalysts mentioned in this list are retired in the cities mentioned above. In many other States, the number of Psychoanalysts though larger than four, is still quite pitiful. The only exceptions are a few larger cities. In fact, the ratio of psychoanalysts to population for this country is 1 in 90,000 (Considering 270,000,000 Americans and 3000 Psychoanalysts).

If we believe in the beneficial effects of psychoanalysis (directly and indirectly), then there is something very wrong when we refuse to explore experimentally the possibility of making it widely available by such means as I have suggested. A way has to be found to solve this problem by those of us that value psychoanalysis. We need to move out of the essentially stagnant situation in which we have been for many years. Otherwise I fear, that like many other species of beautiful animals we will disappear, as our numbers dwindle and encroachment in our space continues. It would be as terrible a loss for humanity as the loss of the genetic pool of these other species was. Do not think I am being dramatic, this could happen.

Furthermore, the situation in Europe and other continents is even more pathetic and hopeless. If the experiment were to prove that this way of teaching, doing supervision and even conducting psychoanalysis (by means of video-conferencing) is viable, the changes will be dramatic and many analysts that now struggle to get patients could make so much better use of their years of training and experience as well.

One thing we have suffered from as analysts, is that we have develop a quasi religious mythology and rituals, that are passed from generation to generation of analysts as if they were factual, when in reality many of them have not been and would not probably be supported by the data of reasonable empiric and research activities. What do you say?

Best regards, Humberto Nagera.