International Psychotherapy Institute

What International Psychotherapy Institute does

International Psychotherapy Institute (IPI) is a private, non-profit professional learning community founded in 1995/1996 in Bethesda, Maryland by David E. Scharff, MD and Jill Savege Scharff, MD. It delivers certificate training, short courses, and clinical supervision in psychoanalytic psychotherapy — with a particular emphasis on Object Relations Theory and its applications to individual, couple, family, and child therapy — to licensed mental health professionals including psychiatrists, psychoanalysts, psychologists, clinical social workers, and marriage and family therapists.

IPI's product portfolio centers on seven certificate programs (Object Relations Theory and Practice, Psychoanalytic Couple Therapy, Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, Infant Observation, the International Institute for Psychoanalytic Training (IIPT) for adult analysis, Combined Child Training, and a Consultation/Supervision track), supplemented by individual seminars, Town Hall meetings, and four to five in-person weekend conferences per year at the Rockville Hilton. Its proprietary technical foundation is a distance-learning infrastructure for psychoanalytic supervision, operational since 1995, using video conferencing with breakout rooms to enable synchronous seminars and small-group consultation across borders; supporting assets include the Free Psychotherapy Books resource (over one million downloads across 25+ categories) and member access to PEP WEB.

The institute monetizes through multi-year tuition for certificate programs, annual membership dues, per-event fees, overseas distance-learning tuition (e.g., the China program paid in RMB via Jiandanxinli), and donations. Distribution is hybrid: in-person conferences in the Washington DC region, online synchronous programs globally, and channel/reseller partnerships with the Moscow Institute for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, Wuhan Hospital for Psychotherapy, Jiandanxinli (China), and IPA Panama. IPI reports 1-10 employees and serves clinicians in 25+ countries; leadership transitioned from the Scharff co-founders to Caroline Sehon, MD as Director.

Name

International Psychotherapy Institute

Legal name

The International Psychotherapy Institute

Website

https://theipi.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

International Psychotherapy Institute is a Bethesda-based non-profit professional learning community founded in 1995 that delivers distance-learning and in-person certificate programs in psychoanalytic psychotherapy (Object Relations Theory, couple/family/child therapy) to licensed mental health professionals across 25+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Psychotherapy Training

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAAALAD

Behavioral Health & Counseling (Social Work, Psychology, Substance Use CE)

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Professional Licensure & Continuing Professional Education (CE/CPE)

Keywords

• Psychoanalytic psychotherapy training
• Continuing professional education
• Clinical training certification
• Distance learning psychotherapy
• Object relations theory programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Chevy Chase

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Certificate Program Tuition: Revenue from national training certificate programs including Object Relations Theory and Practice, Psychoanalytic Couple Therapy, Psychodynamic Psychotherapy (PPP), Infant Observation, Psychoanalytic Training (IIPT), and Combined Child Training.
2. Individual Seminars and Events: One-time session fees for on-site and online seminars, videoconferencing seminars, and weekend conferences open to non-members.
3. Membership Fees: Annual membership providing benefits including access to PEP WEB, members directory, and reduced fees for programs. Faculty dues also mentioned.
4. Distance Learning Programs: Tuition from overseas programs including China Psychoanalytic Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy and other international training initiatives delivered via distance learning.
5. Donations: The institute accepts donations to support operations and maintain free resources. Jason Aronson helped secure grants including Google ads for the free books program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

IPI offers national certificate training programs, individual seminars, and weekend conferences in psychoanalytic psychotherapy, with specialized curricula in Object Relations Theory, Psychoanalytic Couple Therapy, Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, Infant Observation, IIPT adult analytic training, Combined Child Training, and Clinical Consultation. Programs are delivered through in-person conferences in the Washington D.C. area and online distance learning infrastructure that has served mental health professionals across 25+ countries since 1995.

Product overview

The International Psychotherapy Institute offers a portfolio of certificate programs in psychoanalytic psychotherapy and training, including Object Relations Theory and Practice, Psychoanalytic Couple Therapy, Psychodynamic Psychotherapy (PPP), Infant Observation, International Institute for Psychoanalytic Training (IIPT), Combined Child Training, and Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Consultation. Programs are delivered through multiple formats: distance learning via online seminars, in-person weekend conferences, and overseas programs including the China Psychoanalytic Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy. Additional offerings include Town Hall meetings, individual seminars, PEP WEB member library access, and free psychotherapy books resource. The institution specializes in object relations theory training and teleanalysis education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• IIPT (International Institute for Psychoanalytic Training): The analytic training program of IPI offering psychoanalytic certification
• PEP WEB
• Free Psychotherapy Books

Products and services

• Object Relations Theory and Practice Certificate Program National training program bringing mental health professionals and faculty together to study object relations theory with international contributors at the leading edge of the field. Targeted at licensed clinicians seeking advanced psychoanalytic certification.
• Psychoanalytic Couple Therapy Program Advanced couple and family training program focused on psychoanalytic approaches to couple therapy. Targeted at mental health professionals seeking specialty training in couple and family psychoanalysis.
• Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Program (PPP) Advanced individual psychotherapy training program focusing on psychodynamic approaches and techniques for working with individuals. Targeted at mental health professionals seeking certification in psychodynamic psychotherapy.
• Infant Observation Program Training program focusing on primitive anxieties and defenses through observation methodologies. Targeted at clinicians seeking specialized training in infant mental health observation techniques.
• International Institute for Psychoanalytic Training (IIPT) Adult analytic training program providing comprehensive psychoanalytic education for mental health professionals, with applications open in 2026. Targeted at clinicians seeking full psychoanalytic certification.
• Combined Child Training Program Advanced child therapy and child analysis program combining clinical training with child development studies. Targeted at clinicians seeking certification in child psychoanalysis.
• Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Consultation Program Training program designed to help consultants and supervisors develop advanced skills in psychoanalytic psychotherapy consultation. Targeted at experienced clinicians moving into supervision and consultation roles.
• China Psychoanalytic Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy Program Two-year online certificate program delivered in English with Chinese translation, focusing on theory and technique of analytic psychotherapy with children and adolescents. Approximately 200 CE contact hours over two years; targeted at Chinese-speaking therapists and Chinese clinicians working internationally.
• Weekend Conferences (Psychodynamic Weekends) On-site conferences held multiple times per year at the Rockville Hilton and other Washington D.C. area venues, featuring distinguished presenters and offering hybrid attendance options. Targeted at IPI members and non-members seeking continuing education and clinical training.
• Town Hall Meetings Clinical training sessions and community gatherings for IPI members featuring presentations and discussions on psychoanalytic topics. Targeted at current IPI members seeking ongoing professional community.
• IPI Annual Membership Annual membership providing benefits including access to PEP WEB psychoanalytic literature database, members directory, reduced fees for programs, and other member benefits. Targeted at mental health professionals engaged with IPI's training community.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1 million books downloaded through freepsychotherapybooks.org
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• IPA Panama (Sociedad Psicoanalitica de Panama)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020IPI Panama is an IPI affiliate. Yolanda Varela is Chair of the IPA Panama provisional society and IPI founding member. Anabella Brostella is IPI faculty from Panama.
• Jiandanxinli (China)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Le Zhen, a Core program graduate, established Jiandanxinli, a therapist referral and educational platform for psychotherapists in China. IPI collaborated with Jiandanxinli to provide a distance learning program for psychotherapists across China. In 2019, a two-year lecture, reading, and consultation curriculum was launched providing foundation in psychoanalytic object relations theory, technique, and practice.
• Moscow Institute for Psychoanalytic PsychotherapycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Lena Spirkina founded and developed the Moscow Institute for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy. The institute offers rigorous analytic training and has established an IPA Study Group and local training analysts. IPI collaborates on training programs in Russia.
• Victor Beloposky (Russian Psychoanalytic Publisher)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2008Russian publisher housed in the same institute building as the Moscow Institute for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy. Publishing Russian translations of IPI founders' books on psychoanalytic psychotherapy. Third book in translation process.
• German-Chinese Cultural AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2007The German-Chinese Cultural Alliance has been the guiding hand in the establishment of the Wuhan Hospital for Psychotherapy. Dr. Wolfgang Senf from the University of Ulm has been instrumental in designing psychotherapy training in Wuhan, including modules in analysis, cognitive behavioral, and systems therapy.
• Westminster College, Salt Lake City, UtahminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Early distance learning partnership with Westminster College for training and supervision. Paula Swaner sponsored IPI's first use of distance technology so that infant observation and analytic therapy supervision could come to Salt Lake.
• Wuhan Hospital for Psychotherapy / Wuhan Mental Health Research InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Professor Dr. med. Qijia Shi, Director of Wuhan Mental Health Research Institute and the Wuhan Hospital for Psychotherapy (board member of Chinese Association of Psychoanalysis), invited IPI to provide training. The hospital treats patients with severe personality disorders, borderline personality, and PTSD with intensive psychotherapy.
• Tavistock Clinic / Tavistock Relationships (formerly Tavistock Institute for Marital Studies)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1995Early partnership using distance learning technology with the Tavistock Clinic and Tavistock Institute for Marital Studies (now Tavistock Relationships). This was IPI's initial close partnership for developing distance training methodology.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Tavistock Clinic / Tavistock Relationships: UK-based institute offering training in couple and individual psychotherapy, with historical links to IPI through the Scharffs' early distance learning partnership. Both deliver long-form, methodologically specialized training to mental health professionals.
• American Psychoanalytic Association (APsaA): U.S. national membership organization for psychoanalysts offering accredited training institutes, continuing education, and conferences. Directly comparable as a credentialing and training body serving the same professional audience as IPI, though operating at a larger scale.
• International Psychoanalytical Association (IPA): Global umbrella for psychoanalytic societies and training institutes, of which IPI is connected via faculty and partnerships. Provides comparable certificate training, international conferences, and serves an overlapping professional base.
• New York Psychoanalytic Society & Institute: One of the oldest psychoanalytic training institutes in the U.S., offering psychoanalytic and psychotherapy certificate programs to licensed clinicians. Directly comparable in modality focus (object relations and related psychodynamic training) and target learner.
• Boston Psychoanalytic Society & Institute: East Coast psychoanalytic training institute offering adult and child analytic training, continuing education, and supervision. Comparable in delivery model (in-person seminars plus online) and psychodynamic modality.
• Columbia University Center for Psychoanalytic Training and Research: University-affiliated psychoanalytic training institute offering adult and child analytic training programs for mental health professionals. Comparable curriculum focus on object relations and psychodynamic training with similar credentialing outcomes.
• Institute of Contemporary Psychoanalysis (Los Angeles): West Coast psychoanalytic training institute offering certificate programs in adult and child psychoanalysis, with an extension program for geographically distant students. Closely matches IPI's distance learning and psychodynamic orientation.
• Washington School of Psychiatry: DC-area psychotherapy training institute offering certificate programs and continuing education to mental health professionals in the same Washington, D.C. metropolitan region as IPI's headquarters. Directly comparable in geographic market and target audience.

Broad incumbents

• PESI (Psychotherapy Networker / PESI): Large commercial continuing education provider offering thousands of online and live mental health training courses annually. Represents the scaled, capital-backed incumbent model that IPI competes with for CE hours and practitioner training budgets.

Emerging players

• Austen Riggs Center: Independent psychiatric treatment and training center offering continuing education and clinical training in psychodynamic approaches. Comparable in modality focus and clinician audience, though oriented around intensive residential treatment.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/theipi

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about International Psychotherapy Institute