On the differences in the historical development of psychoanalysis in the United States and Canada

Abstract

Psychoanalysis developed differentially in Canada and the United States. In the United States it was geared to the model of having only physicians train in psychoanalysis, which was followed from the very beginning but in Canada the standard of the International Psycho-Analytic Association was used allowing the training of some lay analysts as well as physicians. In Canada, though very Freudian, a more integrated view of many different schools of psychoanalysis was taught as adjuncts to the Freudian view, this being based to a large degree on the British psychoanalytic model. The American Psychoanalytic suffered many splits on the issues on social factors and to some degree on political issues in the twenties and the thirties. This was avoided by the Canadian societies and institutes. The main similarities and differences in historical development are outlined and discussed.