Group Therapy as a treatment modality is especially valuable in our culture, where so many people suffer from isolation and have difficulty maintaining healthy and intimate long-term relationships. The Westchester Institute's orientation in training group therapists, directed by Mark Sulcov, PhD, is in both depth psychology and relational psychology. We offer psychoanalytically oriented programs for mental-health professionals such as psychologists, social workers, psychoanalysts, substance abuse counselors, and others involved with groups. Our focus is on helping participants increase their ability to work with group process and group dynamics so that they can become more effective group leaders.

This program has its roots in the Institute's psychoanalytic training program, where candidates already have group theory and process experience. The subsequent two-year curriculum immerses students in group experience and group theory-academic courses, clinical work, supervision of student's clinical work and intense personal group therapy. Graduates of the program meet membership requirements for the Eastern Group Psychotherapy Society (EGPS) and the American Group Psychotherapy Association (AGPA) and most certification requirements for the National Registry of Group Psychotherapists.

The curriculum reflects our abiding belief in group process. It is organized to provide candidates with leadership skills that promote individual and relational development within a group milieu. The training program consists of four components:

We do everything we can to help students coordinate their clinical needs with our training goals. We provide help in developing therapy groups for the candidates in the program.

We offer a variety of programs to prospective students, based on their experience, their current situation, and their goals.

The One-Year Program leads to a certificate in Group Leadership. This program requires participation in 3 group theory courses, 30 hours of group supervision of candidates doing psychoanalytically oriented group therapy, and a minimum of 30 sessions of Experiential Group Process.

We also offer an Advanced Program of Study that leads to a certificate in Group Psychotherapy and meets many of the eligibility requirements of the National Registry of Group Psychotherapists.

Candidates in the Institute's Psychoanalytic Training Program who participate in the Group Theory and Process courses will receive advanced standing in the Advanced Program.

Both the One Year Group Leadership Program and the Advanced Program are offered in Westchester County (at the Institute) and in Manhattan.

For further information contact Mark Sulcov, Dean of the program, at (914) 242-9324 or (347) 675-2707.