The Harlem Family Institute

11/07/2025

Last Friday, WNYC's Michael Hill spoke to our colleague, author Lee Hawkins, on air about his new book, "I Am Nobody's Slave" and the scars that slavery still leaves on the contemporary Black psyche. HFI's own Sheila Johnson and Michael Connolly spoke about the Harlem Family Institute's efforts to respond to the generational trauma faced by Black communities by training culturally sensitive and community-based psychoanalysts and opening our new mental-health clinic, the Margaret Morgan Lawrence Family and Child Development Center. Listen here:

Mayor Eric Adams is directing $15 million to community kitchens and food pantries ahead of Saturday’s cutoff for SNAP benefits, as the Trump administration halts November payments dur...

08/01/2025

The application deadline for the psychoanalytic training programs at the Harlem Family Institute has been extended until August 20. Start an application here: https://buff.ly/xLE1Kmw

The Harlem Family Institute offers affordable and culturally sensitive training in psychoanalysis and psychodynamically informed psychotherapy, with the goal of empowering and strengthening mental health care for children and adults in underserved communities in our city. Our courses are open to aspiring clinicians with a master's degree in any field recognized by the NYSED, whether or not they are already licensed in a healthcare or mental-health profession. Unlicensed candidates pursue our Licensure-Qualifying Program in preparation to sit the NY State licensing exam, while already licensed candidates follow our full Program in Psychoanalysis.

06/11/2025

Applications for our psychoanalytic training programs are open through June 30. Click here to start an application: https://buff.ly/1lvvE08

04/23/2025

Join us on Friday, May 9 at the Schomburg Center to learn about the Harlem Family Institute at our annual Open House. Learn more about our training programs for aspiring psychoanalysts and our affordable clinical mental health care work in the Harlem community. As part of the the information session, journalist Lee Hawkins will discuss his critically acclaimed new book, I Am Nobody’s Slave: How Uncovering My Family’s History Set Me Free, with two leading psychoanalysts, Dr. Lee Jenkins and Dr. Kirkland Vaughans. Doors open at 6:30 PM for refreshments and the event begins at 7 PM.

Learn about our training of aspiring psychoanalysts and join a psychological discussion with journalist Lee Hawkins about his new book.

03/05/2025

The Harlem Family Institute will pay tribute to Stephen A. Kurtz, one of the Institute’s founders, on March 14, the first anniversary of his passing. A memorial Mass will be celebrated by Rev. Fr. Ted Parker, a psychoanalyst graduate of HFI and close colleague of Stephen, at 10 AM at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church (211 West 141st Street, New York NY.)
All are welcome, and all are encouraged to share any memories or photos of Stephen or commentaries on his work at the reception.

The Harlem Family Institute will pay tribute to Stephen A. Kurtz, one of the Institute’s founders, on March 14, the first anniversary of his passing. A memorial Mass will be celebrated by Rev. Fr. Ted Parker, a psychoanalyst graduate of HFI and close colleague of Stephen, at 10 AM at St. Charles B...

12/05/2024

This Saturday, December 7: Dr. Gil Kliman presents on the tragic consequences of institutional prejudice against children and its implications for clinical and forensic practice, in the fifth installment of our virtual discussion series "The State of the World." More information and registration on Eventbrite:

Dr. Gilbert Kliman speaks on entrenched institutional prejudice against children and its traumatic effects in the foster system

12/03/2024

On this GIVING TUESDAY, the Harlem Family Institute needs your tax-deductible support to continue our work supporting the mental health and well-being of our neighbors in underserved communities in New York.

The Institute trains aspiring psychoanalysts – mental-health professionals who provide the most in-depth psychotherapy. Since 1991, we have trained diversity-sensitive psychoanalysts in our small clinical sites in Harlem and elsewhere, where they offer free and low-fee clinical services to children, teens, parents and others through psychotherapy and play therapy.

Through play therapy, we offer youngsters a safe space to express their feelings, to learn to use their strengths to manage the challenges they face every day, and to discover new ways
to relate to the world. We have served hundreds of parents and children through our school- and community- based playroom treatment centers, where we offer consistent, long-term therapy and play therapy. Clients meet at least weekly with their therapist and work together to address difficult issues through play or talk.

The candidates who study in our programs - many of them clergy and other leaders and helpers from the same communities where we operate - are able to develop careers as advanced mental-health professionals. The Institute can admit suitable candidates, whether licensed or not, who hold an advanced degree in any field. Graduates of our Licensure-Qualifying Program may immediately sit the state exam to become Licensed Psychoanalysts.

Your generous contributions are essential to continuing our free/affordable psychotherapeutic work with children, adults, and families, and educating the diversity-sensitive clinicians of tomorrow. This year in particular, as we work to open our upcoming Margaret Morgan Lawrence Family and Child Development Center, we are counting on your support to help us establish this much-needed community resource.

PLEASE VISIT THE LINK BELOW TO DONATE! The Harlem Family Institute is chartered by the New York State Board of Regents and is a publicly supported organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. All donations are tax-deductible to the extent permited by law.

LINK TO DONATE: https://hfi.nyc/hfi-support.php

12/01/2024

Join us this Saturday, December 7, for the fifth installment of our online "State of the World" discussion series, as Dr. Gil Kliman presents on societal prejudice against children and offers case studies of some of its tragic results in the institutional foster system. More info and registration on Eventbrite:

Dr. Gilbert Kliman speaks on entrenched institutional prejudice against children and its traumatic effects in the foster system