Introduction
SAPA is a Provisional Society of the IPA and operates as one organisation from two cities – Johannesburg and Cape Town. The physical address in Cape Town is 12 Robinson Road, 7708 Kenilworth, Cape Town.
Members, Candidates
30 members, 15 candidates
Short History
SAPA was founded in 2009, when it became an IPA Study Group. There are training cohorts in both Johannesburg and Cape Town. Our first homegrown analysts graduated in 2015. The next Cape Town cohort starts in September 2023; the next Johannesburg cohort a year later.
Founded
IPA Study Group since 2009
IPA Provisional Society since 2019
Training Institute
Training model: Eitingon
Contact: Director of Training marksolms@mweb.co.za
SAPA trains psychoanalysts in the Eitingon model according to the guidelines of the IPA. Our sister organisation, the South African Psychoanalytical Initiative SAPI, is an IPA Allied Centre and as from 2023 offers a training in psychoanalytical psychotherapy.
Present projects/program
SAPA offers an all-day Symposium for members and candidates once a year, and together with SAPI organizes a weekend conference in February and an Education Day conference in September.
Other structures within the Society
The paramount governing body of SAPA is the General Assembly of members. The SAPA Board has oversight over the Training Committee, the Membership Committee and the External Relations Committee. The Ethics Committee reports to the GA.
Free clinic / Councelling
SAPA, together with SAPI, run Low Fee Services in Johannesburg and Cape Town
Special scientific / clinical / outreach activites
Through the clinical seminars offered pro bono to all members of SAPI, interest in psychoanalysis proper is fostered. All SAPA training candidates are drawn from the SAPI membership.
Intergenerational Transmission of Apartheid Groups: In the past ten years their number has grown to three each in Johannesburg and in Cape Town. Recently, an online intercity group was started. The groups are small (under 10 members); some are focus groups, others process groups, working through trauma from both sides of the Apartheid divide.
Two conferences (together with SAPI) per year. By inviting academicians from the humanities and sciences, members of the legal and theatre professions, artists and leading journalists to deliver papers and/or take part in our panels we are promoting interdisciplinary dialogue and disseminating psychoanalytic thought.
Ethics Committee
Contact: adrienne.phillipa.scott@gmail.com
Library
Both in Johannesburg and Cape Town
Cooperations with other Institutions, Universities, etc.
As described above, SAPA and SAPI work closely together and share outreach tasks. SAPA also helped with the founding of the South African Psychoanalytical Confederation SAPC, which consists of about 30 member groups who are interested in psychoanalysis, also from locations outside Johannesburg and Cape Town. Representing about 400 people, SAPC is a strong lobby for psychoanalytically informed practice and theory in negotiations with government and medical aid funders.
Four members of SAPA are involved in IPA committees.
