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Counselling & Psychotherapy Training
Amida Trust offers a number of attendance based training courses in applied Buddhist psychology. These range from a full professional training in Buddhist psychotherapy to introductory weekends. The course is personalised, flexible and based on over twenty years of experience in training professional counsellors and psychotherapists. The course is firmly grounded in an understanding of Buddhist psychology as presented in the major teachings of the Buddha, which were developed into a systematic analysis of mind by the Abhidharmikas (c. 400-200BCE) and transformed into a working psychology by the Yogacarins (c. 300CE). In addition to being full members of a Buddhist order, the course presenters have practised as psychotherapists for many years and are well grounded in Western psychology and counselling theory. As a result they encourage exploration of the similarities and differences between Eastern and Western approaches. Theoretical presentations are well grounded in practice examples and in practical experimentation. UK students seeking BACP accreditation will find the Advanced Certificate, taken in conjunction with the Foundation Certificate or its equivalent, meets training hours requirements. The programme's real value is both in its unique content and in its style of teaching. It offers a learning community where co-operative experimentation and enquiry are valued and the process approach integrates experiential, spiritual and cognitive learning. Students are encouraged to develop their own integration of theory and practice and to challenge pre-conceptions. This is not a one method course, and dialogue is encouraged within the parameters of the Buddhist paradigm. Many students have pre-existing qualifications, and the quality of their contributions to courses is high. At the same time, beginners quickly find a place and discover that life experience and enthusiasm are valued as highly as formal qualifications. In UK we currently offer 33 days of training in counselling and psychotherapy each academic year. These are organised as one weekend and one nine day block per term. Each block is divided into sections, and so may be attended as a whole or in parts. Broadly, the weekend sections focus on skills and theory, whilst the mid week section consists of a four day thematic group plus a day seminar, but all courses offer some balance of theory, practice and personal work. Some courses share attendance credit with the Fully Engaged Buddhism programme, creating the possibility for creative exchange between students on the two programmes. Students are free to choose any combination of these courses in order to meet the attendance requirements of the programme. This enables flexibility. Overseas students may choose to attend full nine day blocks, maximising learning time for each visit made, whilst students living more locally can concentrate their learning into times that suit their other commitments by attending predominantly at weekends or mid-week. In general it is recommended that students try to attend some balance of mid-week and weekend courses. In addition to the courses shown on the calendar, it is sometimes possible to offer courses outside the UK in other centres when these are arranged by local groups. Courses already scheduled are listed in the calendar elsewhere on this web site. All courses are offered from a fully integrated Buddhist psychology perspective making this a unique course in the UK. USP It is unlikely that any other course in the world (not excluding those that are university sponsored) can provide participants with as thorough a grounding in therapeutically applied Buddhist psychology. |
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APPLYING FOR CERTIFICATE AND DIPLOMA COURSES Amida offers training which meets individual needs and situations. Students come with a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences, so you may well want to discuss training possibilities. We therefore recommend that you talk to us about your interests and intentions before applying and, if possible, visit The Buddhist House either to attend a course weekend as a "taster" or to simply meet with the Amida community and course staff. We can also offer you an initial interview at which the different course options are discussed within the broader context of your life and plans so that you understand fully the training on offer here and the most suitable route for you can be agreed. If you are intending to make an application, or would like the option of acceptance onto the programme, you will need to complete an application form prior to this interview and to supply contact details for two referees. You can send for a course handbook and application form. The course handbook gives extensive details of the course requirements, codes of ethics and other background information, so that you may familiarise yourself with these before your visit or interview and raise any questions you may have. To discuss a visit or arrange an interview contact courses@amidatrust.comTo request an application form and course handbook, please contact us by post, including an initial administrative fee of £10. This charge covers the cost of processing your application, your interview, and a copy of the course handbook. It is generally recommended that students who wish to apply for the programme attend a weekend course before committing themselves. You can do this as a member of the public, because all courses are open access. Credits from courses attended in this way may be counted towards the course requirements, provided that you register for a longer training programme within six months. Attending a course in this way enables you to meet course staff and other students and to gain a flavour of the style of teaching. This is valuable because the unique style of the course differs from most other training programmes and can be personally demanding and thus may not be to everyone's taste. Your interview can be arranged during such a preliminary visit, provided you have already completed the application process. On the basis of this a formal offer of place, and will be given to you in writing. |
TRAINING IN APPLIED BUDDHIST PSYCHOLOGY The Amida Trust sponsors several on-going psychotherapy, counselling and groupwork training schemes. The main sequence of study in this area is made up of three levels:MAIN SEQUENCE Foundation Certificate: This is intended for those with no existing qualification. It consists of 130 hours of attendance (18 days plus four hours of peer learning or tutorials). Students are required to keep a learning journal whilst on this programme. Further details of training requirements Although it is not a requirement at this level, some students start the Distance Learning Programme in Buddhist Psychology concurrently with this course. Advanced Certificate: Application to the Advanced certificate is open to persons having completed the Foundation Certificate or an equivalent qualification elsewhere. The Advanced Certificate takes students to a level appropriate for professionally qualified counsellors. It involves 320 hours attendance (approx 46 days), peer learning, project work, a practicum and a personal development requirement. To complete this course, students must also have completed the Distance Learning Programme in Buddhist Psychology which provides the theory component. This may be taken concurrently if it has not already been completed before enrolment. Please note: students completing the Advanced Certificate, who have previously met the Foundation Certificate requirements, will normally have met the BACP accreditation requirement of 450 hours staff contact time. Further details of training requirements Diploma in Psychotherapy: For students who wish to proceed beyond the Advanced Certificate level to the standard for full psychotherapy training, the Diploma Programme involves a further 300 hours of attendance, peer learning, project work, a practicum and academic assignments. This course is conceived as a process of ongoing professional development at a level beyond initial qualification and students on it are expected to be working in psychotherapeutic or related fields whilst completing it. Individuals who already hold a qualification from elsewhere equivalent to the AT Advanced Certificate may also join the Diploma Programme, in which case, instead of the normal academic assignments, they will be required to complete the Distance Learning Programme in Buddhist Psychology. Further details of training requirements Post-Qualification Certificate in Applied Buddhist Therapeutic Psychology An attendance course of 150 hours (21 days) suitable for those who are already qualified in counselling or psychotherapy or groupwork who wish to familiarise themselves with the Buddhist approach and to develop their existing skills further. The course is predominantly experiential, with one written assignment. In this students write a personal integration of Buddhist psychology and their pre-existing therapeutic approach. Students looking for a more thorough theoretical grounding in Buddhist psychology models are advised to take the Distance Learning sequence in addition to this course. . further details on professional development & post qualification training |
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