Espace Analytique is an association for psychoanalytic training and Freudian research founded in 1995 by French psychoanalysts (one of whom was Maud Manonni) who were influenced by the teaching of Sigmund Freud, Jacques Lacan, Françoise Dolto, as well as Maud and Octave Manonni. The French association facilitates daily seminars, reading groups, study days, supervisions, clinical internships and the permanent formation or training that is so beneficial to practising psychoanalysts.

The Irish association, Espace Analytique–Ireland was founded in 2019 and its aim is to provide space for the formation of psychoanalysts in Ireland by providing essential supervision, organising regular seminars and reading groups together with the most important part of psychoanalytic training and development, one’s own analysis. The psychoanalysts in Espace Analytique are engaged in permanent formation, or training, taking part in reading groups, seminars, study groups, discussions, internships and exchanges. The idea of permanent training and development (known as formation in French) derives from the teaching of Lacan.

Besides this, our association aims to popularise psychoanalytic clinical and theoretical practice among other specialists like psychiatrists, doctors, social workers, theoreticians, artists or anyone else who may be interested. Introducing the ideas of Sigmund Freud, Jacques Lacan and other psychoanalysts like Françoise Dolto, Maud and Octave Manonni, Donald Winnicott and Melanie Klein, can help professionals to respond better to the subject’s suffering in their work with children, adolescents and adults, whether they are in the institution or the consulting room. Indeed, introducing psychoanalytic theory and practice beyond the walls of the private consulting room would mean not only engaging with practitioners who work in different institutions in Ireland and abroad, but also with those engaged with the practice of theory in the fields of art, philosophy, anthropology, classics, literature, and linguistics.

Aims and objectives of our organisation are:

1) Encouraging research by bringing together varied clinical experiences from both France and abroad, so that they challenge each other and give rise to reflection. Facilitating exchange of ideas and experiences between psychoanalysts, and with non-analysts working in related fields, by means of meetings, scientific congresses and publications,.

2) Promoting the training and ongoing formation of analysts by prioritising a focus on clinical practice in our teaching. Supporting practitioners as they reflect on and question their daily practice. Examining the development of clinical practice within institutions.

3) Creating a free clinic or reception centre (lieu d’acceuil) for young adults in difficulty, with the aim of promoting the further innovation necessary in this field.

4) Supporting and promoting local initiatives in Paris as well as in the provinces and abroad, including study groups,the creation of clinical places, and research in related fields (education, psychiatry, linguistics, epistemology, etc.).