Lincoln Clinic and Centre for Psychotherapy

Qualifying Course (QC)

leading to Membership of the Lincoln Centre

The Lincoln Centre aims to provide a course which enables postgraduates, often already working in the mental health field, to obtain the knowledge and experience necessary to become psychoanalytic psychotherapists of a high standard. Applications from non-graduates and from those without experience in the mental health field will also be given consideration.

The main theoretical orientation is that of the British Psycho-Analytical Society, representing the work of the Contemporary Freudian, Independent and Kleinian schools. Unless otherwise noted, all seminars are conducted by psychoanalysts, child psychotherapists or senior adult psychotherapists.

The Qualifying Course is a full training which leads to the professional qualification of Adult Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist, Membership of the Lincoln Centre and registration with the British Psychoanalytic Council.

Prerequisites for training

Individual therapy: At the time of application, candidates are expected to have been in individual psychoanalytic psychotherapy for a minimum of three times weekly for at least one year. This must be with a psychotherapist/psychoanalyst who has been approved by the Lincoln. The therapy will continue for the duration of the training, at least three times weekly, preferably more. Applicants who do not fulfil these requirements will also be considered. Such applicants, if accepted, will begin the training in a more gradual way and they must satisfy the aforementioned therapy requirements by the time they enter the Clinical part of the training.

Candidates are required to have:

a degree, or an appropriate qualification, or equivalent academic status
relevant work experience
some knowledge through experience, study or research of the mental health field.

Potential candidates who do not fulfil all the requirements may nevertheless arrange a preliminary interview with the Director of Training to discuss the training.

Candidates who do not have relevant psychiatric experience will be helped to find a psychiatric placement of six months' duration. This is usually an honorary sessional placement arranged to fit in with the candidate's work.

As in other areas of its institutional practice, the Lincoln Centre's selection criteria for each of its courses are made in line with Equal Opportunities legislation. The Lincoln aims to foster the principle of non-discrimination on grounds of gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion and ethnic origin. Selection procedures vary according to the requirements of particular courses and applicants are considered in the context of experience and personal readiness for the specific course to which application is made. All those serving on selection panels and training programmes on behalf of the Lincoln adhere to this policy.

Time commitment

The course is designed for trainees to be able to continue their full-time work during training; however, this is likely to be very arduous, particularly as the course progresses. Careful consideration should be given to the amount of time required for each stage of training. When trainees are undertaking training from a long distance outside London, the Lincoln will endeavour to allow flexibility where possible.

Although in general it will take 4-5 years to reach qualification, individual trainees will vary in their needs and rate of progress.

Applicants from outside London

We welcome applicants who live outside London and currently have several out-of-London trainees. We have telephone conferencing facilities available for some seminars and also endeavour to arrange some Saturday workshops to replace evening seminars.

Cost of training

As a registered charity, the Lincoln endeavours to keep fees within reasonable limits. Details of current fees are available on request. The full cost of training includes, in addition to the training fees, the costs of personal therapy and supervision, which are arranged between the trainee and their training therapist and supervisor. EU and non-EU trainees are charged the same fees.

Pre-Clinical Programme

The Pre-Clinical Programme is also available as separate modules and parts of it can be attended by those applicants who may not yet be able to attend the full course - see Prerequisites for training above.

The Pre-Clinical Programme comprises:

Infant observation

A mother and child are observed for one hour weekly in their family setting for one year. Observations are written up in detail and presented in turn at weekly seminars. A final paper of 5,000 words is submitted at the end of the observations.

Work discussion

Weekly work discussion seminars are held to enable trainees to consider individual work experiences. These seminars form a foundation for the clinical seminars in subsequent years.

Theoretical seminars

Theoretical seminars give an in-depth grounding in Freud's work, and an introduction to child, adolescent and adult personality development.

Clinical Programme

Trainees proceed to the Clinical Programme on successful completion of the Pre-Clinical Programme. The Qualifying Course Training Committee needs to approve the progression based on seminar leaders' and tutors' reports. The Clinical Programme comprises:

Clinical seminars

These are held weekly until all clinical work has been satisfactorily completed and a final draft of the qualifying paper has been submitted. Trainees present work with training patients. Seminar leaders are of differing theoretical orientations so that trainees may gain an appropriately wide theoretical and clinical perspective.

Theoretical seminars

These are held weekly for the first three years of the Clinical Programme. They are based on psychoanalytic readings from Freud onwards, covering the work of Freudian, Independent and Kleinian schools of thought.

Training patients and reports

A trainee's readiness to take on a first training patient is assessed by the Qualifying Course Training Committee. The personal therapist is asked for his/her agreement to proceed.

Trainees are required to see two training patients of different sexes, each three times weekly, one for at least two years and one for at least eighteen months.

Supervision and reports

The two training patients are supervised by two different Lincoln approved supervisors, one of each sex. The first supervisor is generally chosen from within the same psychoanalytic orientation as the trainee's own therapist. Supervision of each training patient continues on a weekly basis for the duration of treatment or until qualification. Every six months reports (400 words) are written on each case.

Additional Clinical Experience

The Lincoln has excellent links with various NHS and other institutions where arrangements can be made for trainees to gain additional clinical experience on an honorary basis.

Qualification

When all seminars and supervised work are complete a qualifying paper on one of the patients is submitted. It should show the trainee's work with the patient and some knowledge of relevant literature. To assist the Qualifying Course Training Committee, an external examiner comments on the strengths and weaknesses shown in the presented work. The Committee reviews the required components and decides whether overall the trainee is ready to qualify.

When the Qualifying Course Training Committee, personal therapist, supervisors and the external examiner are agreed that the trainee is ready to work independently, and all requirements of the training are completed, election to Membership is recommended to the Lincoln Council.

The Qualifying Course is recognised by the British Psychological Society as a suitable post-qualification training in psychotherapy for chartered clinical psychologists. It is also offered as an elective option for Special Registrars in Psychotherapy (SpRs) on the NHS West London Higher Training in Psychotherapy during their Consultant training.

Further details of the course and fees may be obtained from the Training Administrator at the Lincoln office. Before applying, prospective applicants are invited to request a preliminary informal discussion with the Director of the Qualifying Course, Ms Katalin Lanczi. Prospective applicants may also request a meeting with a current trainee.

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