How much choice do humans have over their actions and their mental states? If our mentality is conditioned by multiple factors, and in particular by the object world that we inhabit, how much can we choose our life paths? Buddhist theory suggests that we are generally unwittingly carried along by a tide of conditioned responses and more conditioned than w think, yet, at the same time, also have an irreducible quantum of freedom that we are often not fully aware of.

Intention and Aspiration in Therapy May 15th -16th
Intentionality is seen as the driving force of skandha process. It is powerful in creating the karma which pushes people to perpetuate particular mind states. In Western theory, figures like Otto Rank saw the will as a fundamental driver in mental process. At the same time, as human beings we are caught in all manner of patterns of conditioned mind that can lead us in a state of avidya (not-seeing) to follow old habit tracks rather than responding cleanly to situations. Buddhism sees intentionality as a conditioned phenomenon, which perpetuates our mental structures, however, it also suggests that intentionality can be transformed into aspiration, an inspired, outwardly focused impulse towards healthier states. In this skills weekend we will look at ways of working with intentionality and fostering the aspiration which springs from it.

Professionalism and the Bombu Paradigm May 17th – 20th
The roots of change come from recognition of our ordinary, bombu, nature. Among the core conditions posited by the American psychologist Carl Rogers, unconditional positive regard is perhaps the most difficult to embrace because we are fundamentally judgemental both of ourselves and of others. Within the therapy profession, regulation and assessment are part and parcel of the process that practitioners embrace. How do we square the need for standards to be preserved with acceptance of our ordinary nature and the need of the client for a non-judgemental space? In this four day group we will explore the constraints and possibilities which operate in therapeutic engagement, the role which expectations play in shaping our work and the healing power inherent in situations where expectations are less constricting.

Seminar Day: Will, Intentionality and Karma May 21st
A reflection upon the key role that intentionality has in generating meaning and consequence, without which human life would lack purpose and satisfaction. We will examine the theory of karma and the cycles of repetition compulsion that it gives rise to. We will examine the paradoxes of the will and of the notion of personal freedom, asking whether the notion of an ‘unconscious will’ is meaningful and asking ourselves what are the springs of human choice and change.

Supervision: Conscious and Unconscious Process May 22nd-23rd
Supervision is an essential part of therapeutic practice. It provides a forum in which the therapist is both supported and challenged to explore issues which are arising through her work and the personal impact of therapeutic relationships. The supervision relationship itself has a process which is scrutinised and used as a source of understanding, often revealing through parallel process dynamics which have been unconscious in the therapeutic engagement. In supervision, therapist and supervisor work to bring to light factors which may be hidden, to bring to consciousness the unconscious elements. Yet even in supervision, irrational and hidden factors frequently drive the dialogue. Whilst an illusion of understanding may emerge, much remains tantalising and out of reach. This weekend workshop will explore the use of supervision and the ways which it can impact on therapeutic process. In particular we will identify ways in which the process does not always follow rational lines and may be both creative and mysterious in its effects.