This program connects mentees with experienced mentors who are experts in psychodynamic theory, research methods, and clinical applications.

Online IOP for College Students and Emerging Adults in MA

A collaboration between the Erikson Institute of the Austen Riggs Center and the Yale Child Study Center for emerging and established scholars interested in conceptual, clinical, or other research from a psychodynamic perspective.

Virtual Open House Date: December 9, 5:00-6:00 p.m. (Eastern) - Register Now

The Psychodynamic Research Mentorship Program (PRMP) is a collaboration between the Erikson Institute of the Austen Riggs Center and the Yale Child Study Center that is designed to foster the growth and development of emerging and established scholars interested in conceptual, clinical, or other research from a psychodynamic perspective. This program connects mentees with experienced mentors who are experts in psychodynamic theory, research methods, and clinical applications. Through structured one-on-one sessions and group discussions, the mentorship provides a supportive environment for exploring key areas such as unconscious processes, human development, psychopathology, treatment process and outcome, and other biopsychosocial areas of interest.

Participants will engage in:

Research Design and Methodology: Learn how to formulate and refine research questions, design studies that explore psychodynamic concepts, and utilize appropriate qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods.
Data Analysis and Interpretation: Receive guidance on analyzing complex psychodynamic phenomena, including case studies, narrative analysis, and integrating psychodynamic theory with empirical findings.
Scholarly Writing and Publication: Work with mentors to enhance academic writing skills, prepare manuscripts for peer-reviewed journals, and navigate the publication process in the psychodynamic research community.
Career Development: Develop skills for academic and professional advancement, including grant writing, conference presentations, and building a research network.

The PRMP program is open to graduate students, early-career researchers, and established professionals seeking to deepen their expertise. Meetings are conducted online, offering flexible scheduling and allowing for international participation. This mentorship program fosters intellectual growth, critical thinking, and the advancement of psychodynamic research.

Preliminary Faculty

Nicole Cain, PhD
David Reiss, MD
Tobias Nolte, MD, MSc
Linda Mayes, MD
Nick Midgely, MD, MSc
Caleb Siefert, PhD
Steven Ackerman, PhD, MBA, ABPP

Program Structure

PRMP Kick Off Event (March 7-8, 2025): During this period attendees will present their projects and receive feedback, first from two primary mentors assigned to review the project in-depth and then from the broader group of other attendees and mentors.
Monthly Meetings: These regular meetings will be one hour in duration and arranged with attendees' primary mentor.
Quarterly Meetings: These regular meetings will occur with either the entire attendee group or a subgroup with one or two mentors from the initial Kick Off event, and will be an opportunity to provide updates on projects and receive feedback/support. Quarterly meetings will be scheduled on a Saturday for approximately four hours depending on attendee sign-up.
Grant Writing Course: This course will be arranged and offered either prior to or shortly after initial Kick Off Event.

Timeline

Applications for program due January 1, 2025
Notification of acceptance sent by January 21, 2025
Virtual PRMP Kick-Off Session held March 7-8, 2025

Monthly meetings with mentors TBD
Grant writing for Psychoanalytic Research course TBD
Quarterly group check-in sessions held June 7, September 6, and December 6, 2025

How To Apply

Applications should include:

A brief CV
A 200-word abstract of the applicant’s research interests and goals
A description of the applicant’s current research involvement and the project the applicant plans to present at the meeting including details on the research plan and design (up to four pages)