Société Française de Psychanalyse

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Lacan was a member of the Société Parisienne de Psychanalyse (SPP) which was a member body of the International Psycho-Analytical Association (IPA). In 1953, after a disagreement about analytic practice methods, Lacan (and many of his colleagues) left the SPP to form (a new group) the Société Française de Psychanalyse (SFP).

The SFP asked to be affiliated to the International Psycho-Analytical Association (IPA).

The Société Française de Psychanalyse (SFP) (French Psychoanalytic Society) was a French psychoanalytic society founded on June 18, 1953.


Jacques Lacan was a founding member of the SFP.

In the following years a complex process of negotiation took place to determine the status of the SFP within the IPA. Lacan's practice with his controversial innovaiton of variable-length sessions and the critical stance he took towards much of the accepted orthodoxy of psychoanalytic theory and practice led (in 1963) to a condition being set by the IPA that the registration of the SFP was dependent upon Lacan being removed from the list of training analysts within the organization. The IPA demanded Lacan's expulsion. Lacan was expelled, finally excommunicated by the International, and his teaching was condemned. In 1963 the IPA permitted him to practise anlaysis but not to teach or train candidates. The SFP divided into those willing to recognize the condition laid down by the IPA -- the exclusion of Lacan from the training program, and those who regrouped around Lacan. Lacan refused such a condition and left the SFP to form his won school (which became known as the) École Freudienne de Paris (EFP). In 1964 Lacan went on to found his own school, École Freudienne de Paris (EFP).

The members of the S.F.P. disbanded in 1963 and announced the group's dissolution in 1964.


Lacan had been a member of the Société Parisienne de Psychanalyse (SPP), which was a member body of the International Psychoanalytical Association (IPA).

In 1953, after a disagreement about analytic practice methods, Lacan and many of his colleagues left the SPP to form a new group the Société Française de Psychanalyse ([[SFP)(French School of Psychoanalysis).

One of the consequences of this move was to deprive the new group of membership within the IPA.

In the following years a complex process of negotiation was to take place to determine the status of the SFP within the IPA.

Lacan’s practice, with his controversial innovation of variable-length sessions, and the critical stance he took towards much of the accepted orthodoxy of psychoanalytic theory and practice led, in 1963, to a condition being set by the IPA that the registration of the SFP was dependent upon Lacan being removed from the list of training analysts with the organisation.

Lacan refused such a condition and left the SFP to form his own school which became know as the École Freudienne de Paris (EFP).


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