About Us
A Warm Welcome from Our Directors
Welcome to the Westchester Center for the Study of Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy (WCSPP). Founded in 1974 and chartered by the New York State Board of Regents as a psychotherapy and psychoanalytic educational center, WCSPP trains New York and Connecticut social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, mental health counselors and others who seek to deepen their understanding of the workings of the human mind, development and behavior.
Our Vision and Commitment
At WCSPP, our vision is simple yet profound: to advance knowledge in psychoanalysis and psychotherapy while nurturing a diverse and inclusive community. We are deeply committed to rigorous academic training and open discussion of multiple psychoanalytic perspectives. We believe that a comprehensive education in psychoanalytic techniques, grounded in a wide range of theories including contemporary Freudian theory, interpersonal theory, relational theory, attachment theory, and self-psychology, provides the best foundation for our candidates.
Join Our Community
Whether you’re a seasoned mental health professional or newer in your career, we invite you to join our vibrant community at WCSPP. Become a member of WCSPP’s Psychoanalytic Association, which provides opportunities to network with fellow clinicians of all disciplines. Consider sampling our academic events-conferences, Scientific Meetings, Psychoanalysis in Action presentations and film discussions–or diving deeper into our short- or longer-term trainings and discover how widely applicable and relevant psychoanalytic thinking is to current culture and mental health practice. Many of us who pursued post-graduate education at WCSPP form deep friendships as we become colleagues and eventually circle back to teach, supervise or volunteer at a place that has become more than simply our scholarly home.
Thank you for taking the time to learn more about us. We are always delighted to discuss the numerous ways you can become a member of our warm and welcoming professional community.
Our History
Founded in 1974 by a visionary group of psychoanalysts, WCSPP has been dedicated to fostering pluralistic psychoanalytic training and cultivating a close-knit learning community ever since. Over the years, we’ve expanded our offerings to include a diverse array of post-graduate training programs and academic events, offering specialized training for mental health professionals that they can practically apply in their practices and profession. Now, an increasing number of mental health practitioners working in clinic, agency and educational settings are taking advantage of these valuable training opportunities.
Launch of New Programs
1974
Psychoanalytic Training Program
1998
Adult Psychotherapy Training Program
1998
Supervisory Training Program
2000
Child and Adolescent Training Program
2010
Couples Therapy Training Program
Core Values of Diversity and Inclusion
Statement on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion from the WCSPP Executive Directors
In our training and in our governing, we at WCSPP are steadfast in our commitment to the psychoanalytic and humanistic principles of self-examination and accountability, core values in the creation of a more diverse and inclusive community that challenges prejudice and discrimination in all its forms. WCSPP challenges itself to continually address the range and relevance of what we teach, our awareness of the cultural and historic context that shapes us as well as those with whom we work, and the diversification of our Institute.
Several recent efforts, in addition to those of our Diversity Initiative created in 2014, reflect our implementation of the foregoing goals:
- Educational content that directly speaks to local community need
- Increased attention to financial aid and scholarship awards
- Promotion of recent graduates to leadership training positions
- Curriculum examination
- Broadened exposure to culturally-centered psychoanalytic scholarship
- A new class for mental health supervisors working in area clinics and hospital settings to teach the applicability of psychoanalytic principles to work in those settings.
With the knowledge that we are a work in progress, our ongoing aim is to foster deep psychoanalytic learning that builds upon authentic self-examination and openness to correction at every turn.