Introduction to Relational Psychotherapy Integration (Live/Online)

This course is grounded in the evidence-supported belief that the intentional integration of multiple therapeutic modalities enhances a practitioner’s clinical flexibility, creativity, and resourcefulness—allowing for more responsive, tailored, and effective work with diverse clients.

This introductory course is part of the PIP certificate program but is open to anyone interested in the art of psychotherapy integration. Covering psychotherapy integration from a relational psychodynamic perspective, we review relevant history, basic concepts, and diverse approaches like common factors and assimilative integration. Ideas are discussed in relation to therapeutic action and the ways people change in therapy, helping students develop a coherent, disciplined integrative practice. Note that the course does not teach specific modalities (which can be learned through other PIP courses during the year), but we will discuss clinical examples along with works by leading psychoanalytic integrationists such as Bresler, Frank, Gold, Safran, Bucci, and Wachtel.

The following issues are considered:

• A brief history of psychotherapy integration in psychoanalysis
• An overview of different theoretical approaches for integrating
• Emphasis on a relational psychoanalytic framework for integrative work
• The role of research in common factors, cognitive science, and neuroscience
• A new schema-based approach to integrative psychotherapy based on the blending of psychoanalytic principles with those from cognitive, affective, and neuroscience.
• Practical guidelines, using case material

The course is taught on Mondays from 1:00 to 2:50, September 15, 22, and 29, 2025.

Learning Objectives

I. Students will be able to describe the historical and theoretical evolution of psychotherapy integration.

II. Students will be able to describe a relational psychoanalytic model based on emotion schemas and how the model differs from other major frameworks for integration.

III. Using the schema-based psychoanalytic and other frameworks, students will learn to conceptualize strategies for introducing outside interventions into relational analytic therapy.

Continuing Education

This class is approved for 5.5 CE contact hours for psychologists, social workers, and licensed psychoanalysts.

The National Institute for the Psychotherapies is approved by the American Psychological Association to offer continuing education credits for psychologists. The National Institute for the Psychotherapies maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

The National Institute for the Psychotherapies is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0018.

The National Institute for the Psychotherapies is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychoanalysts #Psyan-0004.

The National Institute for the Psychotherapies is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0131.

Personalized CE certificates will be available for download after completing an online evaluation. Attendance on all days are mandatory for CE credits.

Refunds, & Cancellation Policy

Cancellation requests made more than a week prior to the event will be given a full refund of registration fees. Refunds will not be granted for cancellation requests made within a week of the first day of the event or for no-shows on any of the days event take place.

Lainie Goldwert, PhD is a proponent of psychoanalytic psychotherapy integration. She is a graduate and Co-Director of PIP, NIP’s Integrative Training Program. She is also a clinical supervisor and Part-time Professor in Psychology at The New School for Social Research in New York City. Dr. Goldwert treats individuals and couples, in person and remotely, in Brooklyn, NY.