Advanced Diploma in Existential Psychotherapy
Introduction
SPCP’s Advanced Diploma in Existential
Psychotherapy provide a specialist psychotherapy training
emphasising the challenges, innovations to, and re-interpretations
of the therapeutic encounter. It prepares participants for advanced
professional work in private practice or institutional
settings.
Satisfactory completion will achieve eligibility to apply for
registration with the appropriate bodies.
The aim of the course is to produce practitioners who are able
to explore their clients’ orientation to the world and to
themselves, and who are competent in an approach which focuses on
descriptive rather than analytic examination and clarification of
the client's issues, beliefs, and world-views in a manner that
respects the client's autonomy within an
existential-phenomenological perspective of the therapeutic
relationship and process.
Objectives
The key objective of the course is to make it possible for
trainees:
- to develop a consolidated understanding of the fundamental
contribution of existential philosophy
- to become competent practitioners in the application in
therapeutic practice of their philosophical understanding
- to have a general level of understanding of other major
modalities of therapy
- to develop their capacity for informed reflection on their
clinical practice
- to consolidate their capacity effectively to utilise
supervision from peers and supervisors
- to gain an understanding of ethical research methods relevant
to clinical practice in the field
- to become eligible for professional registration as
practitioners of the chosen modality of psychotherapy and/or
counselling
At the end of Year 1: Eligibility in terms of
training hours to apply for individual Accreditation with
BACP
At the end of Year 2: Eligibility to apply for
UKCP Registration as an Existential Psychotherapist
To apply for registration/accreditation with either UKCP or BACP
a minimum of 450 clinical hours must be completed.
Existential Psychotherapy
Existential psychotherapy is a down-to-earth form of therapy.
The emphasis is on the individual’s existence rather than just
his/her mind, the client’s experience rather than theories. It is
characteristically focused more on the therapist's attitude than
upon any specific technique.
Existential psychotherapy is primarily a place of encounter
where two human beings meet and enter into a dialogue. It is firmly
based on continental philosophy and phenomenology: life problems
are philosophical and the process of therapy enables clients to
become aware of their philosophy of life.
The therapist seeks to attend to the client's experience of
being-in-the-world via descriptive clarification and challenge. At
the same time the process challenges therapists to consider and
confront their own biases and assumptions.
Page last updated 11/24/2011