Admissions Process for the Analyst Training Program (2026-2027)

Applications for the Analyst Training Program (ATP) are accepted any time up to the January 15 deadline for admission the following September. The Admissions Committee is responsible for assessing the qualifications of applicants to the Analyst Training Program and for making a recommendation for their acceptance or rejection to the Training Committee. This recommendation is subject to the approval of the Training Committee. The Admissions Committee’s intent is to select the most qualified candidates for training on the basis of their personal maturity, psychological readiness, and academic ability to successfully engage professional training in the practice of analysis. 

Applicants should be aware that training in Analytical Psychology (“Jungian” analysis) differs from other programs that offer a certification or an academic/graduate degree. Analytical Psychology embraces the view that a person’s well-being depends on the cooperation of many interdependent subsystems contributing to the adaptive functioning of the individual in the world as it is, as well as in relationship to what lies outside of ego-consciousness. Ability to work with clients from this point-of-view usually entails a significant transformation in the therapist’s experience and understanding of the psyche.

Requirements, which must be fulfilled by the application deadline, include: 

1. An in-depth analysis, within the recent past – required minimum 100 hours;
2. A basic knowledge of Analytical Psychology through reading and lectures;
3. Clinical experience beyond licensure in long-term psychotherapy; Applicants must demonstrate foundation in clinical practice with some experience in analytical work;
4. State licensure in mental health, e.g., clinical psychologist (PhD or PsyD), psychiatrist (MD or DO), clinical social worker (LCSW), clinical professional counselor (LCPC), marriage and family therapist (LMFT), or psychiatric nurse (MSN)

Procedure for the Selection of Candidates 

1. Applicant submits application materials by January 15, 2026 for admission into the Analyst Training Program for the 2026–2027 training year, which will begin in September 2026. 

2. The Chair of the Admissions Committee (Admissions Chair) will review all applications to ensure that they are complete and do not contain inappropriate material. All applicant files are open to all members of the Chicago Society of Jungian Analysts (CSJA)—excluding personal analysts or analysts with prior personal relationships—for inspection and comment. All comments will be communicated directly and only to the Admissions Chair. 

3. The Admissions Chair will notify all committee members of the names of the applicants and will request that a staff member duplicates all of the application materials and circulates them among committee members for study by January 23, 2026. Any committee member who has been a personal analyst to an applicant or has had any prior personal or professional relationship with an applicant is not eligible to consider that individual’s application. In that case, the Training Committee will appoint an alternate to replace the ineligible member. 

4. Shortly after, an invitation letter is sent to each applicant asking them to schedule an individual meeting via Zoom with each member of the AC Committee to be completed by March 9, 2026.

5. Following the completion of all individual interviews, the Admissions Committee will meet to decide which applicants will be advanced to the next stage in the process. The decision to invite an applicant to the full committee group interview requires a majority vote of the committee. The committee will notify applicants by email to inform them of the Admissions Committee’s decision. Initial notification emails to applicants will be sent no later than April 1, 2026. 

6. Applicants selected for advancement will be invited to a full committee group interview. The Admissions Chair will arrange the schedule for the group interviews and notify the applicants. Group interview appointments, once set, are not negotiable. Group interviews will take place on Thursday, April 16, and if necessary, Friday, April 17, via Zoom.

7. The Admissions Committee interviews applicants, discusses the findings of the interview, and formulates recommendations regarding the acceptance or non-acceptance of the applicant.  Recommendation for admission requires a 4/5ths vote of the committee. A report incorporating the admissions process of the committee members will be added to the applicant’s file. 

8. Applicants not selected for advancement will be notified of the Admissions Committee’s decision. An internal report outlining the Admissions Committee decision-making process will be submitted to the Training Committee for the Institute files. 

9. A notice will be sent to all members of the CSJA indicating the names of those applicants who have passed the full committee group interview. CSJA members will be requested to contact the Admissions Chair if they have any concerns regarding these applicants. 

10. The recommendation of the Admissions Committee is subject to the approval of the Training Committee. 

11. The Admissions Committee notifies applicants of their acceptance/non-acceptance by letter. Final notification letters will be mailed no later than May 15, 2026. 

12. The acceptance of an applicant to the Analyst Training Program is valid for the following training year only. If applicants request to postpone their matriculation for one year, or if the Training Committee decides not to initiate a training class for that year, then the Admissions Committee will conduct a second full committee group interview at no additional cost to the applicant. The Admissions Committee may alter the previous decision if new information has come to its attention that warrants a change. If applicants wish to postpone their matriculation for more than one year, then they will need to follow the full admissions process again, including the payment of application fees. 

13. Applicants may request feedback on their admissions process by contacting the Admissions Chair, who acts on behalf of both the Admissions Committee and the Training Committee. 

14. Decisions by the Admissions Committee and the Training Committee are regarded as legitimate exercises of professional judgment, and are, therefore, not subject to appeal by an applicant. 

15. Applicants must inform the Institute of their intention by June 1, 2026. 

Essay Questions/Application Prompts:

As part of your application to the Analytical Training Program at the C.G. Jung Institute of Chicago, we invite you to submit a two-part essay that reflects both your personal and clinical experiences: 

1. Autobiographical Essay:

Please write a brief autobiographical essay that emphasizes your psychological development. Include a statement of why you wish to attend the C. G. Jung Institute of Chicago and how you intend to use the training, if completed. This portion of the essay should be typewritten and approximately 2000 words. 

2. Clinical Case Essay: 

Please describe a de-identified case in which you were influenced by analytic psychology in your intervention, experience and/or conceptualization, or alternatively, please describe a case that demonstrates your interest and motivation to begin analytic training due to the needs of the case.  Please note that we are not expecting a prospective candidate to be proficient in analytic concepts and practice at this stage, rather, we are hoping to get a sense of your clinical experience more generally, and your orientation to fundamental Jungian concepts, and your motivation for Jungian analytic training in relation to practice, more specifically. 

This portion of the essay should be typewritten and approximately 1000 words.

In your response, please address one or more of the following as appropriate:

1. Case Overview: Briefly describe the context and background of the case (maintaining confidentiality and privacy). What was the presenting issue or challenge the individual was facing?
2. Approach: Discuss the methods and attitudes you employed in the work with the individual. Did you incorporate Jungian concepts such as the unconscious, archetypes, dreams, or the therapeutic relationship into the treatment? Alternatively, did you have a sense that such interventions would be useful, but were unsure how to implement them?
3. Analytical Process: Describe any key moments or turning points in the treatment. How did the individual’s process unfold over time, and what insights emerged during the course of treatment, for the individual and for yourself?
4. Outcomes and Reflection: Reflect on the outcomes of this case. How did the work impact the individuals personal development or understanding of their situation in life? What did you learn from this case, and how did it contribute to your growth as a therapist?

For this portion of the essay, we are particularly interested in understanding your clinical reasoning, the depth of your analytical process, and your ability to engage with the complexities of the unconscious in the therapeutic setting.