Non-discrimination Policy

Object Relations Institute for Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis (Training Foundation) ("ORI", "we") is committed to providing education in which every participant, instructor and member of staff is treated with dignity and respect. We welcome people of every background to our courses and do not tolerate discrimination or harassment.

Who and what this policy covers

This policy applies to everyone who takes part in our courses and activities: participants, instructors, guest speakers, staff, volunteers and the people and organisations we work with. It covers everything we run, including live and recorded sessions, chat and discussion, questions and answers during and after a course, emails and messages, and events.

Our commitment

We do not discriminate against anyone, and do not tolerate discrimination by anyone taking part, on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, religion or creed, sex, pregnancy, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital or familial status, military or veteran status, socioeconomic status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, New York State or New York City law.

This applies to who may register, the prices and fees we charge, scholarships and discounts, how participants are treated in a course, the award of certificates and CE credits, and who we invite to teach.

What is not acceptable

• Discrimination: treating someone less favourably, or excluding them, because of a protected characteristic.
• Harassment: unwanted conduct connected to a protected characteristic that violates someone's dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile or degrading environment, whether spoken, written, in a chat, or in a message.
• Sexual harassment: unwanted sexual advances, requests or remarks, or other conduct of a sexual nature.
• Retaliation: treating someone badly because they raised a concern in good faith, supported someone else who did, or took part in looking into one.

Academic freedom

Psychoanalysis and psychotherapy ask us to think about the most difficult parts of human experience, including sexuality, aggression, trauma, prejudice and difference. We value free and serious inquiry: instructors and participants may present and discuss difficult material, clinical cases, historical texts and views others disagree with.

Disagreement, even strong disagreement, is not discrimination. What this policy forbids is using discussion to demean, exclude or target a person because of who they are. We ask everyone to speak with care, to listen, and to assume good faith in others.

Accessibility and accommodations

We make reasonable accommodations so that people with disabilities can take part fully. How to ask for one is explained in our Accessibility Statement.

Reporting a concern

If you experience or see something that you believe breaks this policy, please tell us. You can:

• write to admin@orinyc.org, marking your message "Confidential: non-discrimination";
• tell the instructor of your course, who will pass it on; or
• speak to any member of ORI's staff.

Say what happened, when, and who was involved, and include anything that shows it, such as a screenshot of a chat. You may report something that happened to someone else.

What happens next

• We acknowledge your report within two business days.
• A member of staff who is not involved looks into it promptly and fairly, speaking to the people concerned. Everyone involved can give their account.
• We aim to reach an outcome within ten business days, and tell you when we will need longer.
• We share information only with those who need it to look into the concern or act on it.
• We tell the person who raised the concern the outcome, as far as we can while protecting others' privacy.

Where we find that this policy was broken, we act in proportion to what happened. This may include a conversation and an apology, a written warning, removal from a session or course (with no refund if the conduct was serious), or not accepting future registrations or teaching.

No retaliation

We will not tolerate retaliation against anyone who raises a concern in good faith or helps us look into one. Retaliation is itself a breach of this policy.

Other places you can go

You also have the right to raise a concern with the New York State Division of Human Rights or the New York City Commission on Human Rights, whether or not you have reported it to us.

Contact us

Questions about this policy: admin@orinyc.org. See also our Terms of Use.