Gauri Chhabra
Life is not a series of gig lamps symmetrically arranged together, but a luminous halo, a semi- transparent envelope…said Virginia Woolf. The semitransparent, the sub conscious is what consumes our emotions, thoughts and actions. If you believe that you can influence the emotions by analyzing the deepest recesses of the human mind, Psychoanalysis is the career option for you.
Who is a Psychoanalyst?
A Psychoanalyst works with people who suffer from a range of emotional problems including depression, phobias, anxiety, trauma and obsessions. Together with the patients, he explores how unconscious factors affect their behavior as well as past and current relationships.
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Doctor of Psychoanalysis
A doctoral degree in psychoanalysis prepares you to practice as psychoanalyst or to pursue academic research in the field. Such programs combine full theoretical training, clinical training and research experiences with the completion of a dissertation. The major thrust areas are Personal training analysis, Clinical training, Research theory and methods, Dissertation,Case study papers.
MA Psychoanalysis
2 year Master’s degree, the eligibility for which is bachelor’s degree in any field.The focus is on extensive seminar courses as well as field externships with emphasis on clinical field work and training analysis moving on to research through a thesis paper or project.The primary thrust areas are Clinical Assessment Psychoanalytic theory, Fundamentals of Freud,Comparative psychoanalysis, Human development,Neurophysiology, Psychopathology,Field externship.
Certificate program
A certificate program provides comprehensive theoretical and practical training in the principles of psychoanalysis and focuses on preparation for clinical practice rather than academic research. You would study primitive mental states, psychoanalysis theory, psychoanalysis history and more and do your internships at mental health care facilities, which may include inpatient institutions.
Institute scape
*Indian Psychoanalytical Society , Calcutta
*Psychoanalytic Therapy and Research Centre (PTRC), Mumbai
*Government College of Educational Psychology and Guidance, Jabalpur
*University of Delhi, Delhi
*Amity Institute of Behavioral & Allied Sciences, Jaipur
*Lady Shri Ram College for Women, Delhi
*S.N.D.T Women’s University, Mumbai
Career Pathways
Clinical
You may open your own medical health facility and focus on children, married couples, substance abusers, athletes and make them overcome their trauma, anxiety, panic attacks, feelings of loss and emptiness,difficulties in making or sustaining relationships at home or work.
Research
In case you have a penchant for teaching,you can be a professor in the University or go in for research. You may also work with local school districts, acting as consultants to mediate disputes, develop integrated mental health programs, or combat bullying and violence. In a tangential way, you can train teachers and other staff members to deal with behavioral issues, engage parents in their children’s education or motivate students to improve performance.
Business
In the globalized corporate world where Mergers and Acquisitions are a norm, you can become a corporate consultant if you couple your degree with Law. You may need to dove tail your insight not only in dealings with employees, customers and managers, but also help corporations deal with changes in the corporate structure or culture; explore the issues that might arise when leadership changes; or there is a merger or a joint venture.
Writing
You can also use your deep insight into the deepest recesses of human mind by writing books, and translating complex psychological principles into terms.
A day in the life of a Psychoanalyst
The day of a psychoanalyst is packed with the ability to absorb emotions. With each session varying from 30-50 minutes, the number of repeat visits by the patient varies according to the severity of the problem. You are normally not expected to work long hours but since the job involves a lot of attentive listening and analysis, it is imperative that you are vigilant and have the capacity to absorb things like a sponge.
Dr Suneet Aurora, a practicing Psychoanalyst who runs the Sampoorna Foundation, Ludhiana says,”Our endeavor is to provide a reliable and safe setting to help patients to become aware of their unconscious conflicts. My job is encourage the patients to talk freely, make sense of their experiences, dreams, fantasies, anxieties, feelings and memories taking care not to make any judgments and whatever is said in a session is held in the strictest confidence. As the actual catharsis takes place, the patients are able to alleviate the mental,physical and emotional trauma and walk out of my clinic smiling”.
So if you want to know how things really work, study them when they’re coming apart…
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