Intensive Summer School: Foundations of Psychoanalytic & Jungian Psychotherapy

The aim of the summer school is to offer a grounded and coherent introduction to psychoanalytic and Jungian ideas, presented in ways that speak directly to the developmental journey of the human psyche. Participants will gain an understanding of how unconscious processes, symbolic experience, relational dynamics, and early emotional life shape the development of the self over time. Emphasis is placed on helping participants think about how these ideas play out across the lifespan—from infancy and childhood to adulthood, couple relationships, and later life.

Throughout the programme, time is set aside for reflective discussion, helping participants think through how these concepts relate to their own experiences and to broader cultural and developmental themes. For those considering further study, the course provides valuable insight into psychoanalytic training pathways at the British Psychotherapy Foundation. A certificate of completion is offered to participants who attend at least 80% of sessions.

This summer school is suitable for anyone with an interest in psychoanalytic or Jungian thought, regardless of background or prior study. It is particularly valuable for people at the beginning of their exploration of psychotherapy, especially those who may be considering applying for a bpf training and want a structured way to engage with the core ideas.

The course also welcomes individuals interested in understanding their own emotional and developmental history, including how patterns form in childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and relationships. Students, professionals, or researchers in related fields—such as psychology, education, health and social care, the arts, or the humanities—may find that the developmental focus provides a useful theoretical backbone for their existing work. More broadly, the programme is well-suited to anyone drawn to the inner world, symbolism, and the evolving nature of psychic life across time.

The course is taught online in English. Fluency in English will be required in order to join the course. This intensive course contains no written work, but is taught at a postgraduate level.

The summer school explores a rich and structured range of material, always with reference to the unfolding of psychological life across the developmental lifespan. Participants begin by examining the origins of psychoanalysis, including Freud’s foundational ideas about the formation of the psyche, early relational experience, dream life, and the workings of repression, transference, and unconscious processes throughout life. These foundational frameworks form the basis for understanding how development is shaped from infancy onward.

The programme then moves into Jungian perspectives, exploring central concepts such as archetypes, the collective unconscious, symbolic life, and the process of individuation. Jung’s attention to developmental transitions—including the shifts of adolescence, midlife, creativity, and later life—provides a rich complement to psychoanalytic models of growth.

Further sessions consider the therapeutic relationship as a developmental space, where early patterns, attachment templates, and unconscious dynamics can be expressed, understood, and transformed. Contemporary perspectives introduce interdisciplinary insights from neuroscience, culture, and developmental psychology, enabling participants to appreciate how early experience shapes internal worlds and how these worlds continue to evolve across adulthood and aging.

Throughout the course, reflective opportunities support participants in considering their own developmental stories, patterns, and symbolic themes, encouraging both intellectual and personal engagement.

The programme is delivered completely online and takes place across 4.5 consecutive days. The following timetable may be subject to some changes.

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Day 1. Foundations, Approaches, Historical and Cultural Contexts 

Day 1 introduces the core ideas of psychoanalytic and Jungian thought, tracing their origins in early 20th-century Europe and their evolution into diverse global traditions. Building on these foundational theories, the sessions encourage participants to critically examine how historical, cultural, and social contexts have shaped key concepts and practices.  

Session 1. Charting the Unconscious: Core Assumptions of Psychoanalysis and Jungian Analysis 

This session covers key concepts in psychoanalysis and Jungian analysis, such as the unconscious, inner conflict, early experiences, transference, collective unconscious, archetypes, individuation, and dream symbolism. Activities include mini-lectures, Q&A sessions and group discussions. 

Session 2. The Analytic Attitude: How to Listen and Find Meaning in Clinical Practice 

This session focuses on how psychoanalytic and Jungian therapists work with patients by encouraging curiosity and deeper understanding rather than quick fixes. Psychoanalysis sees symptoms as meaningful and values reflection and attentive listening, while Jungian therapy emphasizes imagination and uses emotional challenges for growth, aiming for wholeness. Participants will relate these ideas to their own experiences through discussion and reflection. 

Session 3. From Vienna to the World: The History and Cultural Development of Psychoanalysis and Jungian Psychotherapy 

In this session, participants trace the development of psychoanalysis and Jungian psychotherapy from their roots in Vienna to their spread around the world. The session covers the theoretical split between Freud and Jung, highlighting their differing views on human motivation, the unconscious, and therapeutic goals. It also examines how psychoanalysis adapted to different cultural settings, including the UK, USA, France, and Argentina, shaped by significant historical events such as World War II. Discussions encourage participants to reflect on the impact of trauma, exile, and cultural diversity on both theory and clinical practice. 

Session 4. Plurality, Innovation, and Identity in Psychoanalytic and Jungian Psychotherapy 

The final session of Day 1 reviews the wide range of psychoanalytic and Jungian schools, including Ego Psychology, Kleinian, Winnicottian, Lacanian, Self-psychology, Relational psychoanalysis, and various Jungian traditions (Classical, Developmental, Archetypal). The influence of cultural and diversity factors on these schools is discussed, as well as contemporary challenges such as decolonizing psychotherapy, integrating diverse theoretical perspectives, the effects of technology, and understanding collective trauma. Group discussions address the implications of this plurality for both the study of psychotherapy and clinical practice. 

Timetable Day 1. Foundations, Approaches, Historical and Cultural Contexts

Day 2. Infancy, Childhood, Adolescence and Early Adulthood 

Day 2 is dedicated to the exploration of human development from infancy and childhood through to adolescence and early adulthood. The sessions provide an in-depth examination of emotional life, identity formation, and relational dynamics at each developmental stage, drawing on psychoanalytic and Jungian frameworks. 

Session1.  Psychoanalytic Approach: The Emotional Life of Infants and Children: Psychoanalytic Approach 

This extended session introduces key psychoanalytic theories about infancy and childhood, highlighting how early relationships shape emotional development. It reviews foundational concepts from Freud, Anna Freud, Klein, Winnicott, Bion, Bowlby, Fonagy, and Erikson, and notes the cultural and diversity limitations of traditional models. Participants connect theory to their experiences through a group activity recalling childhood memories. 

Session 2. Jungian Approach: The Emotional Life of Infants and Children 

This extended session examines Jungian views on early development, emphasizing the role of the ‘mother’ archetype. It introduces Fordham’s cycles of de-integration/re-integration, Neumann’s early consciousness stages, and relates these concepts to neuroscience and culture. Participants will draw personal childhood symbols and engage in symbolic dialogue to explore how archetypal patterns shape early life. 

Session 3. Adolescence: Growing, Separating, Becoming 

This session examines adolescence as a critical period marked by identity formation, emotional turbulence, and the process of individuation. The psychoanalytic approach considers how adolescents rework earlier developmental conflicts, manage the drives and challenges of puberty, negotiate increasing autonomy, and reshape internal object relations. From a Jungian standpoint, the session highlights the emergence of the Self archetype, the integration of anima and animus energies, the development of symbolic capacity, and engagement with the collective unconscious. Reflective group discussions and experiential tasks are incorporated to help participants link theoretical concepts to both their own and observed experiences of adolescence. 

Session 4. From Adolescence to Autonomy: Growth and Transformation in Adulthood (18–40) 

The final session of the day focuses on early adulthood, drawing from both psychoanalytic and Jungian perspectives. It explores the consolidation of adult identity, the formation of intimate relationships, the pursuit of career goals, and the negotiation of parenthood. Topics include unconscious influences on work and relationships, the balance between dependence and independence, and the ongoing refinement of the Persona and the Shadow. Participants are encouraged to reflect on their own identity development and the congruence between their authentic and presented selves through group discussions and a personal identity reflection exercise. 

Timetable Day 2. Infancy, Childhood, Adolescence and Early Adulthood

Day 3. Relationships, Being a Parent, Midlife, Ageing and Mortality

Day 3 focuses on the exploration of adult relational life, the complexities of parenting, transitions experienced during midlife, the challenges and insights of ageing, and the confrontation with mortality. All these themes are approached through the dual frameworks of psychoanalytic and Jungian thought, offering rich perspectives on the inner and outer worlds of adult development. 

Session 1. Perspectives on Love: Being a Couple and Being Single 

This session explores couple relationships and being single, focusing on both psychoanalytic and Jungian perspectives. It covers unconscious motivations, object choice, projective identification with partners, attachment patterns, individuation, anima/animus dynamics, and archetypal influences in relationships. Breakout groups allow participants to reflect on their own relational patterns and cultural factors. 

Session 2. Perspectives on Being a Parent: A Deeper Look 

This session examines being a parent as both a relational and symbolic process shaped by internal dynamics and cultural context. Psychoanalytic approaches highlight the influence of early internal objects, projection, identification, and emotional containment in various family structures. Jungian views see parenthood as part of individuation, involving archetypes, psychological complexes, and symbolic engagement. Participants will reflect on how personal and cultural backgrounds affect their parenting experience. 

Session 3. Midlife Matters: Transitions, Turning Points and Crises 

This session explores midlife as a key transitional stage in development. For psychoanalysis it is a period marked by confronting unresolved childhood issues, adapting defences, and re-evaluating identity and goals. Jungians view this period as vital for individuation, highlighting increased self-integration, awareness of mortality, emergence of elder archetypes, and a search for meaning. Group discussions help participants reflect on these themes. 

Session 4. Embracing Old Age: Legacy, Loss and Living Authentically 

This session looks at how older adults often manage regression, dependency, loss, and ego adjustment. Psychoanalytic methods address coping with loss, revisiting past issues, balancing independence and reliance, reflecting on life, and accepting mortality. Jungian views emphasize ongoing individuation, reconciling ego and Self, engaging with ‘Elder’ archetypes, reviewing one’s life, and symbolic acceptance of death. The session includes creative activities and group sharing. 

Session 5. Facing the End: Exploring Death, Meaning, and Acceptance 

The final session addresses the psychological responses to death and dying, exploring unconscious denial, the deployment of defences, the processes of mourning, and the potential for personal growth and integration that can arise. From a Jungian perspective, death is viewed as a transformative event, with archetypal motifs such as the Shadow and Phoenix representing the possibility of renewal. The session also considers how cultural and identity factors shape the symbolism of death. Group reflection on mortality encourages participants to engage in meaning-making and to gain personal insights into their own attitudes towards death. 

Timetable Day 3. Relationships, Being a Parent, Midlife, Ageing and Mortality

Day 4. Pathways to Practice and Working with Clients across the Lifespan

Day 4 shifts focus to professional training and practice, featuring qualified therapists sharing personal journeys in various psychoanalytic and Jungian modalities, including adult, child and adolescent, parent-infant, and couples’ psychotherapy. The sessions explore the motivations and challenges of training, clinical experiences that shape professional development, the emotional demands of clinical work, exploration of possible career pathways within psychotherapy, strategies and practices for self-care, core qualities required for effective therapeutic practice. Participants are provided with opportunities to ask questions and engage with the facilitators, fostering a dynamic and interactive learning environment. 

Timetable Day 4. Pathways to Practice and Working with Clients across the Lifespan

Day 5. Bringing It All Together: Integration and Next Steps

Day 5 provides a comprehensive wrap-up of the summer school, emphasizing integration of key psychoanalytic and Jungian concepts. Participants revisit major developmental themes, observe and reflect on mother-infant interactions, and explore real-world applications of theory in fields like education, social care, and the arts. The day concludes with group reflection, identification of next steps for continued learning, and a shared sense of closure. 

Session 1. Pulling the Threads Together 

This session provides a review of the material covered throughout the week. Participants will revisit key topics, focusing on developmental processes and the relational dynamics that shape human growth and development across the lifespan. 

Session 2. Mini Infant Observation. Mother and Baby: A Window into the Start of Life 

In this session, participants will engage in an observational exercise featuring a video of a mother and her infant. Following the viewing, the group will discuss the interactions and emotional exchanges observed between the mother and baby. The conversation will address developmental milestones and explore the clinical implications of these early relationships, connecting theoretical concepts to real-world experiences. 

Session 3. Applications of psychoanalytic and Jungian Developmental Theory Beyond Therapy Settings 

This session investigates how psychoanalytic and Jungian developmental theories can be applied outside of traditional therapy settings. The discussion will include examples from education, social services, parenting, organizations, and creative fields. The group will reflect together on ways to apply developmental ideas to their own lives and contexts. 

Session 4. Final Reflection, Connection, and Next Steps 

The concluding session focuses on consolidating the week’s learning experiences. Participants will reflect on the lessons learned and identify the most important takeaways. The session will also provide an opportunity to outline future learning opportunities and available resources, supporting ongoing professional development and growth. 

Timetable Day 5. Bringing It All Together: Integration and Next Steps

Standard fee: £2,100

Early bird (TBC): £1,950

Group and corporate rates (minimum 3 participants): from £1,850

Dates: Early-Mid July

Places are limited to support depth of engagement.

Register For Upcoming Open Day

28th February, 2026. 10:00-11:30. Online.

Applications will open in late January 2026. Please register you interest by clicking the button below and you will be sent an application form in late-January 2026.

Places for this course are offered on a first come first served basis. We recommend applying early to avoid disappointment.

If you have any questions, please contact: [email protected]