ICAPP Child and Adolescent Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Courses
What Is ICAPP
ICAPP is recognised Australia wide and internationally as providing comprehensive courses for professionals wanting to work therapeutically with children, adolescents and their families. We run stand-alone courses on subjects of interest to those working therapeutically with young people.
ICAPP was established in 1984 by Peter Blake and Averil Earnshaw after they had completed the postgraduate child psychotherapy training in London at the renowned Tavistock Clinic. Peter is a senior clinical psychologist and the author of the acclaimed book Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy, now in its third edition and used in universities and child and adolescent training in several countries. Averil Earnshaw was an eminent child psychiatrist and the author of Family Time and other books which focus on working with families.
ICAPP is now a not-for-profit organisation committed to providing a high standard of courses for those wanting to work psychodynamically with children, adolescents and their families.
All ICAPP courses are offered via Zoom to Australian and international students.
About ICAPP Courses
The next intake for ICAPP Courses will soon be open for the year commencing February 2026.
Download Course Schedule 2026Learning Components of ICAPP Courses
1 Infant Observation
Infant Observation is the cornerstone in analytic training, and it is fundamental to ICAPP training in Year 1. Each student is required to observe a baby (with the mother or caregiver) on a one hour a week basis for the first year of an infants’ life. Written accounts of the experience of each observation are recorded and are then discussed in a weekly small group seminar with a seminar leader who provides a psychoanalytic lens for the discussion.
This experience is invaluable in developing a student’s powers of observation, along with an understanding of the emotional states of the infant as well as the mother-infant relationship. On completion of the twelve months observation, students write a paper on their understandings gained from the observation and the weekly seminars.
2 Seminar Program
Seminars cover the following three broad categories:
a) Theoretical Seminars
These seminars provide a thorough historical and theoretical introduction to the practice of child and adolescent psychoanalytic psychotherapy. They include an understanding of the central concepts of psychoanalytic theory and their application to practice.
b) Clinical Seminars
Along with theoretical seminars, clinical seminars are presented where session material is discussed to enable a deep understanding of clinical practice as it applies to theory.
Applying for ICAPP Courses
Applicants are required to have graduate qualifications such as psychology, social work, medical qualifications, or be professionals from another field.
Applications are welcome from within Australian as well as from those living outside of Australia.
All seminars are conducted via Zoom.
Interstate and professionals from other countries are encouraged to apply.
For enquiries or to apply please contact the ICAPP Training Committee at info@icapp.com.au
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
The courses are available to graduates and experienced professionals from a variety of health and education disciplines who are interested in the application of psychodynamic thinking to a range of fields of human endeavour and intervention. Applicants require a 3-year degree in an approved tertiary institution. People interested in training are required to make an application and have an interview via Zoom to determine the suitability of the application.