The Boston Graduate School of Psychoanalysis

Date: Dec 31 1969
Major: Psychology (This Major's Salary over time)
I already left a comment about my graduate school, Boston Graduate School of Psychoanalysis (BGSP) in April, not only because I deeply cherish the experience I had in my school, but also because I noticed that 95% of feedback about this school is extremely negative and designed to prevent any prospective students from enrolling at BGSP. My first comment explained who I was and why I loved my school. I also attempted to understand why so many reviews were negative. What pushed me to leave another review is the fact that, immediately after I posted my feedback, someone posted another comment in reaction to mine, and this post mainly meant to say that no one should pay attention to all positive comments about BGSP as they are written by students who are "brainwashed" by the faculty. Furthermore, this person claimed that my school bears all the signs of a cult, justifying the brainwashing technique in order to make students write positive reviews.

I would like to explain a bit more what my school, BGSP, is about. This is a psychoanalytic school where we learn a therapeutic style that many have thought obsolete. When people hear the term "psychoanalysis", they think of Freud and of the old-fashion, "classical" psychoanalysis with an intrusive, know-it-all therapist who will interpret everything the couched patient says, claiming that everything is about sex and the mother and asking for outstanding fees. Classical psychoanalysis still exists and works for a lot of people, but it has adapted to our time. In addition, BGSP teaches a modern psychoanalysis, which is less intrusive, respects and follows the patient's pace, comfort level, and needs, and is designed to treat and potentially cure psychotic conditions (such as schizophrenia, borderline disorder, bipolar disorder, depression, etc.) that classical psychoanalysis considered untreatable. Of course, it still treats everything else. Its biggest strength is it ability to adapt to each patient's needs and expectations, whether financial, psychological, or emotional. It is the only therapeutic technique that can uncover the source of psychological ailments, instead of just focusing on observable symptoms like many therapies nowadays. Finally, modern psychoanalysis allows patients to know themselves much better, to understand their own functioning and patterns, to be aware of uncomfortable and repressed feelings that controlled their behavior (compulsions, addictions, repetitions…) and so on and so forth.

Being a student at BGSP grants all students those benefits since it is mandatory to be in analysis along with being enrolled in courses. So not only do we learn those techniques and understand the mechanics of the human psyche, but we also learn about ourselves and we grow to become much more confident and able individuals socially and emotionally. Myself included, there are dozens of students who have noticed the change in them across months of being in this school. So yes, like most graduate schools, this experience is not free of charge and can be sometimes charged with emotional frustration. But the end result is largely worth it. Nobody changes without going through some more or less painful or uncomfortable phases. People who expect that need to wake up.

Now, in reaction to the person who butchered every positive review about BGSP, this is what I would like to say.

The traits that are listed in the post are supposed to be signs of a cult, as in everybody is in the same boat, we all defend each other, and we are emotionally open. I agree with this person; cults do normally harbor these traits. However, another type of group also can feature these aspects: FAMILY. This is how I feel in this school; that I am entitled to express everything I have, even if it is all negative. BGSP has been receiving many negative reviews and comments from students and it's fine! They have the right to be disappointed or angry, but that is usually because they misunderstood what the school had to offer. Psychoanalysis is very powerful and will strike some sensitive chords, because they need to be stricken in order to understand more about ourselves. It is a small school, so sometimes, we do have to look for answers instead of expecting an email presenting everything we need on a cyber platter like in huge campuses. But it is a small school after all, so looking for answers is usually not difficult. Everybody knows everybody and communication is easy. If a student comes here not knowing what to expect and not open to emotional experiences, there will be discomfort.

Before going into psychology, I went to medical school. I failed everywhere there and I wasted tremendous time and money. I was furious but I understood that medicine was not for me; I was not interested in learning that discipline. It has nothing to do with the school. The school teaches what it is supposed to teach and nothing more. So I could write reviews about medical schools, telling everybody to stay the hell away from them because it is too hard to graduate and because it is too expensive, but I am the one who should have thought it through before throwing myself in such an endeavor. This is the same thing for former students from BGSP. They hate the school because this type of teaching and the content of the courses were simply not for them. It is always easier to blame and attack others rather than taking a long and honest look at oneself.

Anyway, if you have read this entire post, I would like to say thank you and I hope you understand that you have to make up your own mind based on your own information and be aware that each student is heavily biased by emotions and experiences. Negative feelings will provide great motivation to write an angry review, while positive feelings are unfortunately not as motivating since the bearer of the feeling is already satisfied.

Good luck and thank you for your time.

Jonathan