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The experience requirement for licensure as a Psychoanalyst requires completion of a supervised experience of at least 1,500 clock hours providing Psychoanalysis in a setting acceptable to the Department. The experience may only be completed under a limited permit issued by the Department or as part of the licensure qualifying education program, for experience in New York. All experience must be documented on Form 4B.

The supervised experience and practice under a limited permit must meet the following supervision and setting requirements.

Supervision of Experience

The supervisor must be licensed and registered in New York State as a Psychoanalyst, physician, physician assistant, psychologist, licensed clinical social worker, or registered professional nurse or nurse practitioner and competent in Psychoanalysis, or must have the equivalent qualifications as determined by the Department.

An applicant must obtain experience for licensure while under the general supervision of a qualified supervisor. General supervision means that a qualified supervisor is available for consultation, assessment and evaluation when professional services are being rendered by an applicant and the supervisor exercises the degree of supervision appropriate to the circumstances.

The supervisor must provide at least one hour per week or four hours per month of in-person individual or group supervision where the supervisor:

  • reviews the applicant’s assessment, evaluation and treatment of each client under his or her general supervision; and
  • provides oversight, guidance and direction to the applicant in developing skills as a Psychoanalyst.

In addition, the supervisor is responsible for appropriate oversight of all services provided by a limited permit holder under his or her general supervision. No supervisor can supervise more than five limited permit holders.


Setting for Experience

An acceptable setting is defined in the Commissioner’s Regulations as:

  1. a professional corporation, registered limited liability partnership, or professional service limited liability company authorized to provide services that are within the scope of practice of Psychoanalysis;
  2. a sole proprietorship owned by a licensee who provides services that are within the scope of his or her profession and services that are within the scope of practice of Psychoanalysis;
  3. a professional partnership owned by licensees who provide services that are within the scope of practice of Psychoanalysis;
  4. a hospital or clinic authorized under Article 28 of the Public Health Law to provide services that are within the scope of practice of Psychoanalysis;
  5. a program or facility authorized under the Mental Hygiene Law to provide services that are within the scope of practice of Psychoanalysis;
  6. a program or facility authorized under Federal Law to provide services that are within the scope of practice of Psychoanalysis;
  7. an entity defined as exempt from the licensing requirements or otherwise authorized under New York State law or the laws of the jurisdiction in which the entity is located to provide services that are within the scope of practice of Psychoanalysis.

The setting where the experience is gained is responsible for the services provided by individuals gaining experience for licensure. The setting is also responsible for providing adequate supervision to such individuals and for assigning a qualified supervisor, as defined in this section, to individuals gaining experience for licensure.

The practice of Psychoanalysis is defined in Education Law as:

  • the observation, description, evaluation, and interpretation of dynamic unconscious mental processes that contribute to the formation of personality and behavior in order to identify and resolve unconscious psychic problems which affect interpersonal relationships and emotional development, to facilitate changes in personality and behavior through the use of verbal and nonverbal cognitive and emotional communication, and to develop adaptive functioning; and
  • the use of assessment instruments and mental health counseling and psychotherapy to identify, evaluate and treat dysfunctions and disorders for purposes of providing appropriate psychoanalytic services.

Not less than 750 clock hours of such required experience, or one-half of the hours in any setting, shall consist of direct contact with clients. The remaining experience may consist of other activities that do not involve direct client contact, including but not limited to, supervision, personal analysis and professional development.