The philosophy of PINE remains true to the original vision, as expressed in 1973 by one of PINE's founders, Dr. Robert Gardner:
	"We envision an adventure of ideas. PINE will bring together a few candidates and a few teachers in the professional closeness and lively atmosphere of a workshop. Candidates and teachers will explore critically the basic observations, methods, and theories of psychoanalysis. We shall share candidly differences already held and differences that will arise in sustained study and discussion. In short, PINE will be devoted to shared curiosity and search."
Psychoanalytic training consists of three major components: a curriculum of seminars, a personal training analysis (four times weekly), and the individual supervision of at least three "control" analytic cases, one of which must reach a termination phase before graduation. These cases are written up periodically to demonstrate formulation, understanding, and psychoanalytic process. The PINE curriculum is flexible allowing us to integrate the creative ideas of both faculty and candidates in creating new and interesting seminars. Thus the specific content of the seminar program varies from year to year. Candidates are encouraged to give seminar suggestions to the Curriculum Committee. Generally, fall and spring seminars are designed to meet the broad requirements. Winter seminars are electives designed to round out the curriculum and to explore topics of individual interest in greater depth. PINE electives are open to candidates at the Boston Psychoanalytic Institute and Society (BPSI) and PINE candidates may select from electives at BPSI. Candidates are also free to develop individual or small group tutorials with interested PINE faculty. The current seminar requirements at PINE are: Analyzability (including case selection and case ‘conversion’) Ethics Three Core Concepts Seminars: The Unconscious Transference & Countertransference Resistance & Defense Dreams I (Freud’s “Interpretation of Dreams”) and Dreams II (clinical work with dreams) Character I (Freud's Cases) and Character II (an exploration of an aspect of character in psychoanalysis) Three seminars on psychoanalytic theory including: Metapsychology I (Freud) Advanced Metapsychology (Content varies with interests of faculty and candidates) One other theory seminar as selected by the candidate Development series: I (infancy) II (early childhood and latency) III (adolescence and adult development) Clinical Child Psychoanalysis Three "Clinical Case Conferences" including: Modes of Analytic Listening A Case Conference with a developmental focus One other case conference (typically with a focus such as ‘unconscious fantasy’, ‘the termination phase’, ‘interpretation’, ‘affect’) Two "Continuous Case Conferences" (the candidate should present his/ her analytic work in one of these) Recent elective seminar offerings have included: Frequency and Process in Psychoanalysis: developing a psychoanalytic practice Clinical Writing Neuroscience and Psychoanalysis Study Group Repetition Compulsion Dissociation and Trauma Poetry and Psychoanalysis The Royal Road to Organizational Consulting Psychoanalytic Understanding of Shakespeare Winnicott Perversions Clinical Application of Bion’s Theories Gender and Sexual Identity Loewald The PINE Open Scientific Meetings are an important part of the Institute's educational experience and candidates receive two hours of seminar credit for attendance. A minimum of 450 total hours of seminar participation is required for graduation. The curriculum is designed to allow the candidate to meet all didactic requirements over a period of five years. Most candidates graduate in 6-8 years. Candidates participate in clinical seminars each year from the beginning of training. However, a candidate must have one or more analytic cases in treatment to receive credit for a clinical seminar as one of the five required clinical seminars. Advanced candidates who have completed the core requirements are encouraged to participate in seminars or other forms of study, research or writing as developed in collaboration with their advisors.