Constitution

The name of the organization shall be the“International Psychoanalytical Studies Organization,” herein referred to as IPSO.

The term “psychoanalysis” refers to a theory of personality structure and function, to the application of this theory to other branches of knowledge, and, finally, to a specific psycho-therapeutic technique. This body of knowledge is based on and derived from the fundamental psychological discoveries made by Sigmund Freud.

• To promote the development of psychoanalysts-in-training through opportunities to publish and present, original clinical, theoretical, and research papers in regional and international Congresses
• To facilitate communication and free exchange between psychoanalysts-in-training and psychoanalytic organizations throughout the world
• To promote, internationally, the best interests of psychoanalysts-in-training with respect to their psychoanalytic training and education
• To provide liaison between psychoanalysts-in-training and the International Psychoanalytic Association (herein referred to as IPA ) ; to provide representatives to the IPA and to other psychoanalytic organizations
• To advance psychoanalysis as a body of theory, method of research and technique of treatment
• To support psychoanalysts-in-training in participating in the scientific life of their own psychoanalytic societies

IPSO membership is open to psychoanalysts-in-training at IPA approved training programs. An IPSO member must be fully accepted for training in psychoanalysis by a training institution accepted by the IPA. Membership categories are composed of Full Members and Donor Members.I. Full Membership

IPSO shall have two types of Full members  A) Component  B) Individual

A) Component Group Membership

This is the primary form of membership. It is open to any IPA component psychoanalytic candidate organization, student organization or other formal or informal group of candidates on payment of the component group’s dues, providing that the group is composed of psychoanalysts-in-training who have been fully accepted for training in psychoanalysis by a training institute approved by the IPA.

B) Individual Membership

A psychoanalyst-in-training may join IPSO as an individual member if no group membership exists in their training program. This will be open to any student of psychoanalysis who is in training at an IPA approved program.

1. Termination of Membership

A psychoanalyst-in-training who has completed psychoanalytic training, and has paid yearly individual or group membership dues will remain an IPSO member through the Business Meeting of the IPSO Congress following qualification or graduation from psychoanalytic training.

Membership is terminated:

• If the psychoanalyst-in-training does not pay dues unless the General Treasurer has waived dues payment.
• If a candidate is convicted of an ethics violation by their institute or by the IPA or by their licensing board, if one exists.
• If any of the conditions for membership are unfulfilled.

2. Eligibility to Vote

All Full Members of IPSO have the right to attend IPSO’s Business Meetings, where they have full voting rights. Donor Members (see below) may only vote if they are also Full Members.

3. Eligibility to Hold Office

All Full Members of IPSO are eligible to stand for election to office.

4. Right of Attendance at Scientific Meetings

All voting and non voting IPSO members are eligible to attend IPSO Scientific meetings after payment of registration fees.

II. Donor Membership

This membership shall be open to:
a. Any person, including but not limited to members of the IPA, who pays a subscription to IPSO.
b. Any person, group or organization who wishes to contribute financially to IPSO.

Donor members may not hold office or vote in IPSO.

III. Non-voting Membership

This class of membership is available for psychoanalysts–in–training who train in an IPA component society, even if their training program is not IPA approved. This category of membership is available only when an IPA component society has two types of training in psychoanalysis, one which is IPA approved and one which is not IPA approved.
Non-voting members may not hold office or vote in IPSO. They may not participate in the Visiting Candidate Programme VCP.

The annual subscription (dues) shall be proposed by the Executive Committee and determined by the Business Meeting on the proposal of the IPSO Executive Committee (herein referred to as ExCom). Dues will be set in US Dollars. Dues may be paid either in U.S. Dollars/Euros. From January 2020 dues amount is 40 USD per candidate or its equivalent in Euros at the exchange rate of the date dues are paid. Candidates belonging to Societies with IPA discount pay 35 USD or its equivalent in Euros.

There shall be three classes of subscriptions (dues):
1. Component Group
This is the preferred membership. The group pays as a whole.
2. Individual
If there is no component group of candidates, a candidate may join individually and pay dues individually.
3. Donor
Donations to IPSO should be made through the Central Treasury. Such donations may be earmarked for use by a particular region or a particular activity. The Central Treasurer and the Vice-President of the region in question should be informed. All proposals for donations shall be discussed, by the IPSO ExCom, case by case.

The supreme control of IPSO shall be vested in the meeting of its members (Business Meeting) convened at the IPSO Congress organized in conjunction with each International Psychoanalytical Congress. The meeting shall be called the Business Meeting of the IPSO.

Between Business Meetings, the President and the ExCom shall be empowered to act on behalf of IPSO, to administer its business and to further its objectives, including the initiation of a mail ballot of the membership on substantive matters as provided by Bylaw.

1. The ExCom shall govern itself by a Procedural Code in a manner consistent with the Constitution and Bylaws of the IPSO. The IPSO ExCom is considered a special body of the International Psychoanalytical Association.

(a) Business Meetings
The Business Meeting and the IPSO Congress shall be convened by the ExCom every two (2) years. No less than one month before the scheduled date of the Business Meeting, the ExCom will circulate to all Full Members details of where and how the Business Meeting will be held, including whether this will be in person or virtual. Business Meetings will not be held in a hybrid manner (i.e. with some members attending in person, and some attending virtually).  

The President shall conduct the Business Meetings or another person delegated by the President, in accordance with the procedures laid down in the Bylaws.

The Business Meeting is open to Full Members of IPSO. Others may be allowed to attend at the discretion of the ExCom. Only Full Members are eligible to vote at the Business meeting.

The President-Elect shall take minutes. A summary of the minutes shall be published in the Newsletter and/or on IPSO’s Website. The complete minutes shall be kept in the IPSO Archives seated in London. Any member wishing to see a copy may contact any member of the ExCom.

(b) Extraordinary Business Meetings: May occur at such times and places as determined by the ExCom. A quorum shall be ten members in addition to the members of the ExCom.

(c) ExCom: The ExCom shall meet yearly (“the Annual Meeting”). The Annual Meeting may be held in any of IPSO’s three regions as may be determined by the ExCom in advance of the Annual Meeting, subject to the regional associations’ congresses and IPSO’s regional needs. Policy decisions may be made at the Annual Meeting or at an Extraordinary Business Meeting, subject to approval by the membership at the next IPSO Business Meeting. 

The officers of IPSO (together the ExCom) shall be:

1. The President, who shall be the chief executive officer of IPSO. The President presides at the Business Meeting, all other general meetings of IPSO and of the ExCom.
2. The President-Elect, presides at meetings should the President not be available. The President-Elect succeeds to the Presidency at the end of the next IPSO Congress, following his installation as President-Elect. Should the President require replacement, the President-Elect shall become the Replacement-President.
3. The Vice-Presidents, shall perform the duties assigned according to the Procedures Manual. There are three (3) Vice-Presidents, one (1) for each of IPSO’s regions: Europe, North America, and Latin America. Australia, India, the Middle East and South Africa are part of the European region and Japan, China, Taiwan, and Korea are part of the North American region. At such time as the IPA will add a fourth region, IPSO will add a fourth region.
4. The three (3) Vice-Presidents-Elect for Europe, North America, and Latin America, who shall assist the Vice-Presidents in their duties.
5. The Treasurer, who shall receive, disburse, account for and manage all monies of IPSO. The Treasurer shall submit a financial statement each year to the ExCom, and every two years to the Business Meeting. The Treasurer will also cooperate with the IPA for auditing purposes.
6. The Treasurer-Elect, who shall assist the Treasurer in their duties.
7. The Editor is responsible for publication of the Newsletter and Journal, and maintains the IPSO website and social media.
8. The Editor-Elect, who shall assist the Editor in their duties.
At the President’s discretion, and/or with a two-thirds majority of the ExCom, an advisor or consultant may be appointed to the ExCom to fulfil a specific mission. An advisor is not a voting member of the ExCom, as only elected members are voting members.

(d) Official Publications

1. The official organ of IPSO is the Newsletter, edited by the Editor and published at appropriate interval on IPSO’s Website. A report or summary of the IPSO Congress and of the Business Meeting shall appear in the first Newsletter in the year after the IPSO Congress.
2. IPSO Journal: A Journal for Candidates.
3. Congress of Candidates (CC): IPSO shall support and be actively involved in the development and organization of the Congress.
4. IPSO Archives and History: IPSO shall support the development and maintenance of archives to be called “The Archives and History of IPSO.” These Archives are located at the IPA headquarters currently located in London.
IPSO assumes responsibility for the care and maintenance of these archives.
5. IPSO Website: http://www.ipso.world
All Members and Non-Voting Members have the right to attend Scientific Meetings organized by IPSO, on payment of Congress fees. Non-members may attend Scientific Meetings organized by IPSO on the condition that they are candidates or members of IPA approved institutes and have paid the Congress fees.

The Constitution and Bylaws of IPSO may be amended at a Business Meeting as follows:
1. An amendment may be proposed by the ExCom or by a resolution signed and seconded by two members of IPSO and sent in writing to the President-Elect of IPSO. The proposed amendment shall be published in the next Newsletter.
2. An amendment will be deemed to be approved at the Business Meeting when it receives the approval of two-thirds of the members responding within the time limit designated by the ExCom.
3. A report of the proceedings of the Business Meeting shall be published in the IPSO Newsletter.

Articles 6.1(a), 6.1.(c), 6.1.(c)3., 6.1.(c)5., 6.1.(c)6., 6.1.(c)7, 6.1.(c)8, and 7 were amended by a majority 2/3rds vote at the online IPSO Extraordinary Business Meetings held on the 4th of December, 2022, at 08:00 CET and 17:00 CET