
<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto">Kristopher,<div><br></div><div>This has been my understanding for as well. </div><div><br></div><div>john </div><div><br><div id="AppleMailSignature" dir="ltr">Sent from my iPad</div><div dir="ltr"><br>On Sep 28, 2025, at 1:49 PM, Kristopher Lichtanski, PhD, LMHCA via The-lacanalyst <<a href="mailto:the-lacanalyst@lutecium.org">the-lacanalyst@lutecium.org</a>> wrote:<br><br></div><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div>Greetings everyone,</div><div><br></div><div>It is wonderful to be back in the fold(s)! I am looking forward to this update while recommending caution due to the following existing information. BTW - not starting a debate nor taking any sides on this matter whatsoever, but I want all to be updated with the most current developments in CA regarding the term and practice of "psychoanalysis." -Kristopher</div><div><br></div><div>**********************</div><div><div>In California, the Board of Psychology (BOP) protects against unlicensed psychoanalysis by defining it as a form of psychology, which requires state licensure. While a "research psychoanalyst" designation has existed, recent legislation transferred the regulation of this limited license to the BOP to better protect the public. [<a href="https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F3/228/1043/478769/" target="_blank">1</a>, <a href="https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F3/228/1043/478769/" target="_blank">2</a>, <a href="https://www.mbc.ca.gov/Licensing/research-psychoanalyst/#:~:text=What%20is%20the%20timeline%20for%20the%20transfer?,and%20the%20regulation%20of%20research%20psychoanalytic%20institutions." target="_blank">3</a>, <a href="https://www.psychology.ca.gov/laws_regs/sb_815.shtml" target="_blank">4</a>]  </div><br style="line-height:11pt">Psychoanalysis as a form of psychology <ul><li>California's Business and Professions Code includes "psychoanalysis" under its definition of the "practice of psychology". </li><li>Under state law, anyone who represents themselves to the public as a psychoanalyst and receives a fee for services must be a licensed psychologist or meet other specified statutory criteria. [<a href="https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F3/228/1043/478769/" target="_blank">1</a>, <a href="https://content.next.westlaw.com/practical-law/document/I644487bc798e11d98c82a53fc8ac8757/National-Ass-n-for-Advancement-of-Psychoanalysis-v-California-Bd-of-Psychology?viewType=FullText&transitionType=Default&contextData=(sc.Default)" target="_blank">5</a>]</li></ul>The "Research Psychoanalyst" exception <ul><li><span style="font-weight:bold">A limited practice:</span> For years, a special "research psychoanalyst" license was regulated by the California Medical Board. It allowed certain graduates of approved psychoanalytic institutes to practice on a limited basis, as an "adjunct to teaching, training, or research". </li><li><span style="font-weight:bold">Restrictions:</span> These individuals could not spend more than one-third of their professional time on fee-based services and had to primarily be engaged in teaching, training, or research. [<a href="https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F3/228/1043/478769/" target="_blank">2</a>, <a href="https://biotech.law.lsu.edu/cases/pro_lic/naap_v_ca.htm" target="_blank">6</a>, <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/psychoanalysis/comments/1gpocdo/how_to_practice_psychoanalysis_in_california/" target="_blank">7</a>, <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/psychoanalysis/comments/1gpocdo/how_to_practice_psychoanalysis_in_california/#:~:text=It's%20true%2C%20in%20CA%20if%20you%20have,with%20aka%20training%20at%20an%20accredited%20institute." target="_blank">8</a>]</li></ul>The 2025 regulatory transfer <ul><li><span style="font-weight:bold">New oversight:</span> Effective January 1, 2025, control of the Research Psychoanalyst Program was transferred from the Medical Board of California to the California Board of Psychology. </li><li><span style="font-weight:bold">Consumer protection:</span> The BOP's 2024–2028 strategic plan outlines the addition of research psychoanalysts to its regulated population. This move is intended to place all mental health practitioners under the oversight of a board specifically focused on psychological services, ensuring better public protection. [<a href="https://www.mbc.ca.gov/Licensing/research-psychoanalyst/#:~:text=What%20is%20the%20timeline%20for%20the%20transfer?,and%20the%20regulation%20of%20research%20psychoanalytic%20institutions." target="_blank">3</a>, <a href="https://www.psychology.ca.gov/laws_regs/sb_815.shtml" target="_blank">4</a>, <a href="https://www.psychology.ca.gov/forms_pubs/strat_plan_24_28.pdf" target="_blank">9</a>]</li></ul>Legal challenges to the licensing scheme <div style="font-size:13pt;font-weight:bold;margin-bottom:11pt">The BOP has successfully defended its licensing authority against legal challenges from psychoanalysts. </div><ul><li>In the case <em>National Association for the Advancement of Psychoanalysis v. California Board of Psychology</em> (2000), a federal court rejected arguments that the licensing laws violated the First and Fourteenth Amendments. </li><li>The court found that the state's regulation of mental health professions is a valid exercise of its power to protect the public health and safety. [<a href="https://biotech.law.lsu.edu/cases/pro_lic/naap_v_ca.htm" target="_blank">6</a>, <a href="https://biotech.law.lsu.edu/cases/pro_lic/NAAP_v_CA_brief.htm" target="_blank">10</a>, <a href="https://biotech.law.lsu.edu/cases/pro_lic/naap_v_ca.htm" target="_blank">11</a>, <a href="https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/attachments/press-docs/ChilesvSalazar_AmiciStatesBrief.pdf" target="_blank">12</a>]</li></ul><div>[1] <a href="https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F3/228/1043/478769/" target="_blank">https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F3/228/1043/478769/</a></div><div>[2] <a href="https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F3/228/1043/478769/" target="_blank">https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F3/228/1043/478769/</a></div><div>[3] <a href="https://www.mbc.ca.gov/Licensing/research-psychoanalyst/#:~:text=What%20is%20the%20timeline%20for%20the%20transfer?,and%20the%20regulation%20of%20research%20psychoanalytic%20institutions." target="_blank">https://www.mbc.ca.gov/Licensing/research-psychoanalyst/</a></div><div>[4] <a href="https://www.psychology.ca.gov/laws_regs/sb_815.shtml" target="_blank">https://www.psychology.ca.gov/laws_regs/sb_815.shtml</a></div><div>[5] <a href="https://content.next.westlaw.com/practical-law/document/I644487bc798e11d98c82a53fc8ac8757/National-Ass-n-for-Advancement-of-Psychoanalysis-v-California-Bd-of-Psychology?viewType=FullText&transitionType=Default&contextData=(sc.Default)" target="_blank">https://content.next.westlaw.com/practical-law/document/I644487bc798e11d98c82a53fc8ac8757/National-Ass-n-for-Advancement-of-Psychoanalysis-v-California-Bd-of-Psychology?viewType=FullText&transitionType=Default&contextData=(sc.Default)</a></div><div>[6] <a href="https://biotech.law.lsu.edu/cases/pro_lic/naap_v_ca.htm" target="_blank">https://biotech.law.lsu.edu/cases/pro_lic/naap_v_ca.htm</a></div><div>[7] <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/psychoanalysis/comments/1gpocdo/how_to_practice_psychoanalysis_in_california/" target="_blank">https://www.reddit.com/r/psychoanalysis/comments/1gpocdo/how_to_practice_psychoanalysis_in_california/</a></div><div>[8] <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/psychoanalysis/comments/1gpocdo/how_to_practice_psychoanalysis_in_california/#:~:text=It's%20true%2C%20in%20CA%20if%20you%20have,with%20aka%20training%20at%20an%20accredited%20institute." target="_blank">https://www.reddit.com/r/psychoanalysis/comments/1gpocdo/how_to_practice_psychoanalysis_in_california/</a></div><div>[9] <a href="https://www.psychology.ca.gov/forms_pubs/strat_plan_24_28.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.psychology.ca.gov/forms_pubs/strat_plan_24_28.pdf</a></div><div>[10] <a href="https://biotech.law.lsu.edu/cases/pro_lic/NAAP_v_CA_brief.htm" target="_blank">https://biotech.law.lsu.edu/cases/pro_lic/NAAP_v_CA_brief.htm</a></div><div>[11] <a href="https://biotech.law.lsu.edu/cases/pro_lic/naap_v_ca.htm" target="_blank">https://biotech.law.lsu.edu/cases/pro_lic/naap_v_ca.htm</a></div><div>[12] <a href="https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/attachments/press-docs/ChilesvSalazar_AmiciStatesBrief.pdf" target="_blank">https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/attachments/press-docs/ChilesvSalazar_AmiciStatesBrief.pdf</a></div></div></div><div><br></div>*********************************************<br><div class="gmail_quote gmail_quote_container"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr"><br></div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Sun, Sep 28, 2025 at 1:42 AM Jacques B. Siboni via The-lacanalyst <<a href="mailto:the-lacanalyst@lutecium.org">the-lacanalyst@lutecium.org</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">Dear colleagues<br>

<br>

Yesterday at a day to give a tribute to Jean-Michel Vappereau<br>

I had the pleasure to reconnect to Scully-Robert Groom, a colleague<br>

living partly in Berlin and Los Angeles. He gave me great<br>

legal information regarding the legal statute of psychoanalysis in the USA.<br>

I discovered that except for New York State and Massachusetts, the<br>

statute is similar to France's!! Anyone in the 48 other states can<br>

decide they work as psychoanalysts as a private practice. They can put<br>

a placard saying so in front of their office.<br>

<br>

I have registered him on the lacanalyst mailing list. Robert can you be<br>

kind enough to explain the situation which is so seriously misunderstood<br>

by psychoanalysts in the US.<br>

<br>

Tell us<br>

<br>

Cheers<br>

<br>

Jacques<br>

<br>

<br>

-- <br>

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</blockquote></div><div><br></div></div>

</div></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr"><span>-- </span><br><span>The-lacanalyst mailing list</span><br><span><a href="mailto:The-lacanalyst@lutecium.org">The-lacanalyst@lutecium.org</a></span><br><span><a href="https://lutecium.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/the-lacanalyst">https://lutecium.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/the-lacanalyst</a></span><br></div></blockquote></div></body></html>