Home » About SIP » Professional membership body for BPC-registered psychotherapists

Professional membership body for BPC-registered psychotherapists

With a growing number of members, an active programme of lectures, clinical seminars and Study Days, as well as many opportunities to contribute to the teaching and running of the organisation, SIP offers a dynamic and rich experience to its members and associates.

We welcome applications for membership from psychotherapists who have completed a training in psychoanalytic or psychodynamic psychotherapy equivalent to SIP’s own training. Members of other Membership Institutes of BPC can also join SIP as a Clinical Associate, allowing them to receive referrals via SIP’s Consultation & Referral Service (CRS), attend SIP’s CPD events, participate in the delivery of SIP’s training, subscribe to various journals and publications at a discounted rate, and join SIP’s Committees.

BenefitsFull MemberPre-retirement memberStudent AssociateClinical Associate
Inclusion on British Psychoanalytic Council’s Therapist RegisterApprove, black-tick, tick iconApprove, black-tick, tick iconUpon qualificationX
Access to SIP’s Subsidised Treatment and Training Funds to support you in offering low-cost therapy Approve, black-tick, tick iconApprove, black-tick, tick iconApprove, black-tick, tick iconX
Access to professional support and guidance from SIP’s Ethics CommitteeApprove, black-tick, tick iconApprove, black-tick, tick iconApprove, black-tick, tick iconX
Access to patient referrals through SIP’s well-established Consultation & Referral ServiceApprove, black-tick, tick iconXApprove, black-tick, tick iconApprove, black-tick, tick icon
Join a community of like-minded professionalsApprove, black-tick, tick iconApprove, black-tick, tick iconApprove, black-tick, tick iconApprove, black-tick, tick icon
Receive SIP’s monthly Members newsletter – with the option to contribute content and circulate notices at no costApprove, black-tick, tick iconApprove, black-tick, tick iconApprove, black-tick, tick iconApprove, black-tick, tick icon
Access to SIP’s library containing 1000+ psychotherapy books and journalsApprove, black-tick, tick iconApprove, black-tick, tick iconApprove, black-tick, tick iconApprove, black-tick, tick icon
Discounts on CPD events and the opportunity to attend special Study Days and clinical seminars for SIP Members and AssociatesApprove, black-tick, tick iconApprove, black-tick, tick iconApprove, black-tick, tick iconApprove, black-tick, tick icon
Access to the Psychoanalytic Electronic Publishing platform (PEP-Web) at no extra costApprove, black-tick, tick iconApprove, black-tick, tick iconXX
Significant discounts on industry leading journals and online learning materialApprove, black-tick, tick iconApprove, black-tick, tick iconApprove, black-tick, tick iconApprove, black-tick, tick icon
Invitation to participate in SIP’s Annual General MeetingApprove, black-tick, tick iconApprove, black-tick, tick iconApprove, black-tick, tick iconApprove, black-tick, tick icon
Opportunity to serve on SIP’s Committees, helping shape the future of our organisationApprove, black-tick, tick iconApprove, black-tick, tick iconApprove, black-tick, tick iconApprove, black-tick, tick icon
Opportunities to contribute to SIP’s Courses and TrainingsApprove, black-tick, tick iconApprove, black-tick, tick iconXApprove, black-tick, tick icon

Direct entry criteria

Full Psychoanalytic Membership

The basic requirements to join SIP as a psychoanalytic member are that:

  • You have had psychoanalysis or psychoanalytic psychotherapy with an approved therapist at a minimum frequency of three times weekly throughout training
  • You have worked with two patients for intensive psychotherapy, at least three times weekly;
    • One patient will have been seen for at least two years, and the other for at least eighteen months
    • Therapy with these patients would need to have been supervised by approved supervisors throughout training
Full Psychodynamic Membership

The basic requirements to join SIP as a psychodynamic member are that:

  • You have undertaken 3 – 4 years of twice-weekly psychoanalytic psychotherapy with a BPC registered and approved training therapist
  • You have worked at least 200 hours of psychodynamic psychotherapy (this total must include having worked with two patients, at a frequency of once or twice weekly sessions, for a minimum of one year)
  • You have received a minimum of 120 hours of supervision with a BPC registered and approved psychoanalytic or psychodynamic training therapist
Clinical Associateship

This is available to any adult-trained psychoanalytic or psychodynamic psychotherapist who is registered with the BPC through a different member institute or, exceptionally, to psychoanalytic or psychodynamic psychotherapists registered with other equivalent organisations.