Czech Society
for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy

ACTIONS, CONFERENCES

CEEC konference

Report on the Conference of Central and Eastern European Countries
Held in Prague on 19-21st October 2001-12-02

This was the first conference organised by the EFPP subcommittee for central and eastern European networks in conjunction with the CSPAP.

Delegates representing the Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Russia and Slovakia, together with the Chairman and the three Section Coordinators of the EFPP attended it. Interested individuals from Norway and Ireland also attended. Regrettably delegates from Hungary and former Yugoslavia were absent.

The aim of the conference was manifold:

1. a) Firstly to provide a forum and a first meeting for delegates from countries with a similar history of totalitarian regimes, who while eager to advance their professional aspirations in the training a practice of psychoanalytic psychotherapy, were likely to have reached different stages in the their development.
2. b) Secondly to acquaint each other with the current training programmes in their individual countries and begin discussion of possible joint training activities and the feasibility of adopting the EFPP training standards.
3. c) Finally to get to know about the current status of psychotherapy in the European Union and legislation in the European Commission with regard of to the profession of psychotherapy

The conference was opened by Serge Frisch, Chairman of the EFPP who gave a short history of the EFPP and outlined the current aims in the context of the European free market and free movement of labour.

This was followed by short presentations from individual countries, revealing very different structures between and within countries. Thus in Poland, Latvia and Russia there are several psychoanalytic psychotherapy organisations some of which are attempting to form a national network (Poland), others are in direct competition (e.g. Latvia,) while yet others exist in isolation or rivalry with each other (Russia). Contact with trainers from the west was also variable. Some countries have succeeded in completing a training and have produced a first generation of training therapists (a Group analytic training in Lithuania, Adult and Group training in the Czech Republic) Some individuals have undertaken or are in the process of undertaking a recognised training which involves them in travelling regularly to another country and is financially inordinately demanding and time-consuming.

The 2nd day was devoted to training.

Michael Šebek gave an account of providing "shuttle analysis", a form training analysis which makes it possible for candidates where no local training analysts are available to undergo an analysis either by travelling to the analyst's country or for the analyst to travel for blocks of time to the analysands' countries. Both the advantages and disadvantages of this method of analysis were described. There is much in the process, which differs from a regular psychoanalysis; nevertheless it is noteworthy that candidates make good progress.

Lydia Tischler and Ivana Růžičková focused on their respective experiences of setting up a training programme in child and adolescent psychoanalytic psychotherapy in the Czech Republic In her account Tischler stressed the need to take to accommodate local conditions to get training off the ground. Ruzickova considered the progress the group had made despite the limited input from teachers from abroad. An important change occurred when the therapists begun to feel able to make the child and his inner world the focus of their attention.
The contribution from Nina Vasilyeva, who was unfortunately unable to be present gave a picture of the current situation in St. Petersburg, while welcoming the input from Western visitors; she stressed the need for continuity crucial for building up a professional identity.

Ludek Vrba gave an account of the training in-group psychoanalysis, guaranteed by the Danish Institute of Group analysis. He described the gradual development of the training and the different stages from idealisation through devaluation of western trainers finally reaching a realistic compromise

The discussion, which followed, both in the plenary and section meetings, revealed the different stages which member countries have reached in their training programme. Yet despite the differences there was a wish to find a common denominator, which could form the basis of future co-operation.

The third day was devoted to an introduction to the EFPP' s aims and objectives and discussion about the European certificate.

Serge Frisch gave a brief overview of the evolution of the European Union beginning in 1950 with the formation of the European Coal and steel Community to the present day with the formation of the single market in 1995 (the inclusion of more European countries and the expected inclusion of Poland Hungary and the Czech Republic) and the foundation of the EFPP in 1991 to bring together psychoanalytic psychotherapy organisations in the different countries to promote psychoanalytic psychotherapy both in individual countries and to create a political voice in the European Union.
The three section co-ordinators then outlined their views of advancing our mutual interests in the furthering of psychoanalytic psychotherapy

Lydia Tischler gave a short outline of the procedures whereby a profession can come to be included in a European Directive. At present psychotherapy is not subject to a Directive and could only become so if all the countries agreed on the criteria for the profession. The European Commission does not recognise any pan-European certificates, as regulation of a profession is strictly the province of recognised national training organisations.
Nevertheless the European Association for Psychotherapy, (EAP) is offering a "European certificate" as a legitimate document, although it has no official validity and is only recognised by national member organisations, However its very existence gives it a spurious validity.
In the face of such misleading claims made for the EAP certificate, the EFPP decided it needed to provide a document for its national networks and it is now in the process of establishing a European certificate to delineate its own separate and distinct identity as psychotherapy based on psychoanalytic principles. Such a certificate would guard and ensure the high standards of training for its members.

Politically it is important to have a voice in Europe if possible to counteract the current spreading of "cheap and quick" alternatives. This can best be achieved by securing a favourable position for psychoanalytic psychotherapy in each individual country.

In the plenary discussion the following topics were of special concern:

There was a request for greater clarity of the standards expected. The current byelaws are somewhat ambiguous in setting minimum and expected training standards. Liselotte Grünbaum explained that the working for the EFPP certificate is looking into the whole question of defining the standards for the different levels of membership.

The EAP is undoubtedly very attractive for organisations whose training standards fall below those of the EFPP and do not feel able to apply to for membership of the EFPP. A number of speakers stressed that importance for them of belonging to a European body, which gives better standing with their government departments, and the EAP offers them this validity at present.

Psychotherapy organisations and training institutes with variable training standards teaching psychoanalytic psychotherapy and psychoanalysis have spread in a number of countries, notably Russia and Poland. These larger organisations with less rigorous training requirements often have greater influence with government bodies. Forming National networks in these countries is going to prove quite a challenge. The EFPP may need to offer some helpful suggestions.

There was much enthusiasm from the delegates to participate as fully as possible with their EFPP colleagues in the west. However, the relative imbalance in the earning capacity and currency exchange rates between east and west makes the cost of travelling, in order to attend conferences and delegates meetings, especially if they are held in the west, prohibitively expensive. This remains a thorny issue and will require a creative solution.

Conclusion

We think it is fitting to conclude with the opening comment from Liselotte Grünbaum (Child Section co-ordinator.) Paraphrasing a famous statement she said "maybe the right question to ask is not what the EFPP can do for you, but rather what you can do for our mutual ongoing concern: the development and strengthening of viable training programmes in Europe".

This conference was an auspicious beginning of this process.

Plans for the future

A proposal has been made to have a conference with a clinical content to be held in Riga in 2002.

There is also an offer from Ludek Vrba on behalf to the Czech Society provide workshops and supervisions by way of "repayment" to colleagues in the east who have had fewer opportunities to benefit from a systematic "western" training.

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