Therapeutic work is healing work, it is intimately accompanying a client on a self-discovery journey that is, perhaps beyond and more than counselling and psychotherapy. This is my work as a therapist and the work of our trainee counsellors and psychotherapists at ICPPD. Facilitating the client’s tapestry as they journey home to wholeness is the work, we are involved in.
This is what we contract with our learners at ICPPD – that we will guide them, provide a learning environment where they can examine, explore and practice being in touch with their unique psyche-print and inner guidance, and its direction, so that they will then wish to meet the core-self in their future clients.
Does psychotherapy integrate the union of male and female aspects so there can be synthesis and wholeness? When we as educators and therapists do not recognise and appreciate the complementary right and left brain, we are doing a disservice to both. ICPPD is mindful of this when designing its courses. How to integrate theory, skills, and reflective practice. How do we incorporate a body, mind, spirit philosophy that embodies a holistic approach to helping and healing? How do we facilitate and present beauty and creativity with the robust theoretical framework and concepts involved so that they are woven into a way of being, a combined expression of gratitude for having all parts represented and voiced appropriately? Surely this enriches the experience of learning and personhood.
In a profession when the primary subject of study is the person, how can we dismiss anything. Assessing, measuring this kind of non-tangible, heart-centred education and work has its own difficulties.
I’m left with a hope that the person, the learner, the trainee therapist, the client has a place and space where their experience counts for something, that is not dictated and controlled by other’s agendas.
I hope for an encounter and relationship where the healing process is not evaluated by norms and tools but by processes that are appropriate and are developed for the task and process at hand.
Rather than a given prior to the exchange in learning, is there an opportunity for the learner, trainee, client to say on completion of this time and space, the following are some of my learning outcomes?
Following my learning experience as a trainee, or/and my therapeutic exchange as a client, I am better able now to –
- Know myself as a unique being of value and worth.
- Think critically and remain open to new views that support my evolution as a person.
- Reflect on my situation in relation to the context, people and circumstances involved.
- Adjust and accept differences both within myself and within others.
- Act in ways that respect me and others as a growing organism.
- Validate and empower myself on this learning curve that is life itself.
- Embrace my vulnerability and offer compassion for my human expressions.
- Celebrate my gifts and creativity,
- Take care of myself, my environment and have a sense of belonging as a global citizen.
- Engage with my learning as an adult, and support my future academic, personal, and professional development.
- Appreciate all types of intelligences and endeavour to integrate them from an interpersonal and intrapersonal perspective.
At ICPPD, we encourage Learners to – dance to their own drum and rhythm … we aim do this also as an organisation, as an institute of education and training in the field of holistic counselling and psychotherapy.
