- +44 (0)1342 822238
- bookings@emerson.org.uk
**Still time to join this course, contact our registrar for details**
This course is based on the principle that the human being today has great potential based on the power of our eternal spirit. Our spiritual self can withstand the most difficult life circumstances but that all manner of problems can prevent its healthy unfolding.
It provides an integrative, holistic training that addresses psychological and complex psychosomatic problems from an anthroposophic perspective.
This training is for practising and qualified psychological therapists and so applicants will already have embarked on the journey of unfolding both their own and their clients’ potential.
‘I have been fascinated to learn more about psychosomatic disorders, the relationship between them and one’s spirit. This insight will enable me to treat the whole person.’
‘A very serious commitment; it takes time and effort, but your life will be changed’
‘This course has come at a most potent time in my life and has had a profound impact not only on the way I work with clients, but also life in general’
‘This course was very relevant and timely for my needs and future aspirations’
‘Such a varied, talented, deeply professional research-based ways and attitude in teaching styles’
‘The course supports individual styles and provides places for growth – both in an individual and in a group context’
The course also has an optional fourth year. Students who already have a core training (i.e. basic training in counselling) and complete all four years will be able to apply for UKCP (United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy) psychotherapy registration since the course meets the training requirements of UKCP registration.
THIS COURSE IS NOW IN PROGRESS
If you would like to express an interest in future cohorts of this course please contact our registrar, Chiara Carones
If you are already participating in this course and would like to book accommodation and meals please email our bookings team.
If you wish to join us on this journey, then please read on…
Course Overview
This part-time modular course provides a professional psychotherapy post-qualifying training in anthroposophic psychotherapy for adults.
In the forecourt of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi in Ancient Greece the pupils for higher wisdom were met with the challenge ‘know thyself’. In its modern form the challenge has been adapted for contemporary life by Rudolf Steiner: ‘know thyself in body, soul, and spirit’.
The course addresses this challenge and provides many practical tools for helping our clients to also meet this in themselves.
The course is holistic (body, soul and spirit) in orientation, inspired by the work of Rudolf Steiner. Based upon the principles of individual integration, Anthroposophic Psychotherapy works with human developmental laws, pathogenesis and the health bringing possibility of each individual’s potential to overcome the most serious human crises. It aims to develop and build upon existing methods of psychotherapy and counselling, and recognises how contemporary life affects our body, soul, and spirit. At its centre is the conviction that individual healing is essential for social healing.
Anthroposophic Psychotherapy is designed to extend the training of psychotherapists, counsellors and other psychological therapists who can also demonstrate a capacity for postgraduate study and have experience of working with a variety of psychological and physical problems. It will be integrated with the participant’s previous training whatever its theoretical orientation.
Dates of taster sessions and the first year of the course
First year modules
- 7-11 February 2024 (if you are joining the course after this date it will be possible to cover this module content at a later date)
- 29 May – 2 June 2024
- 25-29 September 2024
Course Methodology
The course comprises interactive seminars which include lectures, group tutorials, discussions and workshop exercises developed for training in Anthroposophic Psychotherapy, as described in A Psychology of Human Dignity by Ad Dekkers*. Each seminar will also incorporate a unique methodology which involves presenting cases in the evening, taking the case into the night, and concluding the next day. The method enables participants to identify with clients’ suffering and their experience of difficult and complex psychological problems. Short interim seminars will enable participants to link the learning with their ongoing clinical practice in a way which resembles clinical supervision.
*Since the late 1980s, Ad and Henriette Dekkers have successfully delivered the course in Holland, Germany, Italy, Spain, Russia, Israel, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, and the UK.
Course Benefits
The course provides a deep understanding of psychological, psychosomatic and psychiatric problems and practical methods to deal with them in ways that integrate body, soul and spirit.
There are a growing number of publications in English which describe both this approach to psychological therapy and the way in which it extends such existing psychotherapeutic methods as attachment theory (see publications).
Who is it for?
The course in Anthroposophic Psychotherapy is for professionals working in clinical practice who have already completed a basic training in psychotherapy, counselling, clinical psychology, counselling psychology or psychiatry.
Applicants should either be registered with the UKCP, the HCPC or the BMC (or accredited with the BACP in the case of counsellors) or working towards registration or accreditation, or the equivalent in other countries.
Applicants must also be involved in clinical practice. So enquirers whose training and experience is predominantly in the field of education, art therapy, social care and social work will generally not be eligible unless they can demonstrate that they also have substantial training and experience in a talking therapy such as psychotherapy and counselling under clinical supervision and working to a code of ethics of such organisations as the UKCP, BACP and the BPS.
Alternative Learning Pathways – If you do not fulfil the application criteria, but would like to begin to explore this subjects in this area, you may wish to consider one of the courses mentioned in the ‘Links’ section below.
Professional Certification
The course is structured as a three-year course with an optional fourth year. Certificates will be awarded to graduates who are registered or accredited nationally. They will be awarded by the Medical Section of the School of Spiritual Science at the Goetheanum.
The three-year certificate will state that the course participant has trained on a postgraduate course in anthroposophic psychotherapy, psychopathology and psychosomatics based on the anthroposophic understanding of the human being and is knowledgeable in anthroposophic psychotherapy.
The four-year certificate will state that graduates are qualified as anthroposophic psychotherapists and have trained on a postgraduate course in anthroposophic psychotherapy, psychopathology and psychosomatics based on the anthroposophic understanding of the human being.
All graduates will have to become members of the UK psychotherapy association (Mercury, the association of counsellors and psychotherapists working out of Anthroposophy) at a nominal charge. Mercury is a member of the International Federation of Anthroposophic Psychotherapy Associations (IFAPA) and so graduates will also be able to join the international community of anthroposophic psychotherapists and attend all IFAPA events.
Course Fees
Full training fee
The fee for the whole three-year course is £1,633.33 per annum plus £500 deposit (£5,400 in total)
Or £5100 paid in full upfront.
February seminar only
The fee for the February seminar is £650 and is due at time of application.
If you are experiencing financial hardship but would still like to attend the course, please contact the Emerson Registrar,
Chiara Chrones, registrar@emerson.org.uk
or phone +44 1342 827771
Useful Links
Associations:
- IFAPA: https://ifapa.ch/
- Mercury: https://www.mercury-ukaacp.org/
Articles:
- Anthroposophic psychotherapy: https://medsektion-goetheanum.org/en/medical-section/international-coordination-of-anthroposophic-medicine/ikam/therapies/anthroposophic-psychotherapy
- Anthroposophic psychotherapy: https://medsektion-goetheanum.org/en/research/investigating-clinical-fields/psychotherapy
Alternative Learning Pathways
Biographical Counselling Skills Course
An established personal and professional development course for anyone interested in gaining counselling skills and understanding an anthroposophic approach to development and life phases. This one year course leads to a CPD certificate and provides a foundation to more advanced counselling or psychotherapy training.
https://www.biographicalcounsellors.org.uk/
Next Course – September 2023 – June 2024 – Download leaflet
Mental Health Seminar
An established personal and professional development course in an anthroposophic perspective on psychology, development, mental health, and pathology. The course is for those professionals with experience of working in child and adult healthcare and therapy, social care or child and adolescent education. The course leads to a CPD certificate and is taught over 12 modules each of 4.5 days in duration, over three years.
https://emerson.org.uk/course/mental-health-seminars/
English Training in Anthroposophic Medicine:
The English Training In Anthroposophic Medicine is a part-time post-graduate training for physicians. It explores new ways of understanding a patient’s condition that go beyond current purely physically based medicine, emphasising the patient’s spiritual, psychological and bodily capacities for resilience. Nine one-week modules over three years, combining experiential face-to-face & distance learning.
- Programme
- Course fees
- Applications
- CPD & Certificates
Full course Qualification and Progression
The four-year course awards an international certificate in anthroposophic psychotherapy to graduates who are registered or accredited nationally.
Some graduates may be able to apply for UKCP (United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy) psychotherapy registration since the course meets the training requirements for UKCP registration. To achieve this the course will include written work at university postgraduate level and graduates will additionally have to produce a portfolio of evidence to show that they meet the UKCP criteria for personal therapy and clinical supervision hours whilst attending the course. This will be submitted to Regents University, London, an organisational member of the UKCP who have confirmed that the course meets the training requirements for UKCP registration (See Confirmatory Letter from Regents University).
Course Structure
The course comprises of a series of modules taken over three years.
The first module may be taken as a standalone introductory training for qualifying applicants seeking to explore the subject further before committing to the course.
Course Themes
Year 1: The anthroposophic understanding of human development; the basic principles of anthroposophic psychotherapy interventions; difficulties with embodiment and attaching to life; anthroposophic psychotherapy’s holistic body, soul, spirit principles.
Year 2: The power and vulnerability of the client’s individuality (self, I); pathogenesis and pathology in childhood and adulthood; trauma and anthroposophic psychotherapy interventions; the broader historical and evolutionary context of anthroposophic psychotherapy. Transgenerationality.
Year 3: Interdisciplinarity, collaborative approaches, working with anthroposophic medicine and therapies to address imbalances in the body and the soul; neurosis, psychosis, personality disorders;
First year modules
Full training
The fee for the whole three-year course is £1,633.33 per annum plus £500 deposit (£5,400 in total)
Or £5100 paid in full upfront.
February seminar only
The fee for the February seminar is £650 and is due at time of application.
If you are experiencing financial hardship but would still like to attend the course, please contact the Emerson Registrar,
Chiara Chrones, registrar@emerson.org.uk
or phone +44 1342 827771
General Entry requirements
As Emerson College is an adult college the minimum age at time of enrolment is 18. A basic command of the English language is required. The final decision for acceptance on the course is at the discretion of the course Faculty.
Course entry requirements
This is a post-qualifying course. So applicants must have a qualification in counselling or psychotherapy which meets the training standards for accreditation with the BACP or UKCP (or the equivalent in other psychological therapy professions; primarily psychiatry, clinical psychology and counselling psychology). Applicants should also provide evidence of experience of working with clients under supervision. You should therefore provide:
- If your principal previous therapy training was a mainstream course it is necessary to provide evidence that it is either an accredited BACP course, an approved UKCP course, an HCPC approved clinical psychology or counselling psychology training, or a BMC approved training or the equivalent in the case of non-UK applicants, or If your principal previous therapy training was an anthroposophical course, it is necessary to provide evidence that the course is approved by the School of Spiritual Science at the Goetheanum.
- You should provide evidence that you have been in practice for at least two years after qualifying and have at least 100 hours of clinical practice (under supervision where required).
- All criminal offences and professional conduct investigations should be declared on application to the course. The Faculty will then assess your suitability for the course. If the Faculty become aware of an offence or an investigation but no declaration has been made, then the student will be excluded from the course.
How To Apply
To apply, please click on the ‘APPLY NOW’ button at the top of the page, fill out the online application form and upload the documents listed above in the ‘Supporting Documents’ section.
If you have any questions please contact Chiara Carones – registrar@emerson.org.uk.
Full training
For the full training you will need to fill out the online application form and submit the following documents
- CV
- A 500-word statement explaining why you wish to train as an anthroposophic psychotherapist.
Your application will be examined by the course Faculty. If your previous training and qualification meet the course entry requirements, you will be invited to an individual interview.
If you successfully complete the admissions process, you will be sent a letter of acceptance via email. To secure your place on the course we require a non-refundable deposit of £500 to be paid within 14 days from receiving the official acceptance on the course, with the remainder of the fees due 2 months before the start of the training.
You are not fully confirmed on the course until this deposit is received.
Missed modules cannot be refunded.
February seminar only
For the February Seminar you will need to fill out the online application form and submit the following documents:
- CV
- The fee, payment details below.
Your application will be examined by the course Faculty. If your previous training and qualification meet the standards described above and in the course entry requirements, you will be sent a letter of acceptance via email. To secure your place on the course we require the seminar fee £500 to be paid within 14 days from receiving the official acceptance on the February Seminar.
Acceptance on this seminar does not give you an automatic route onto the full course.
For the full course you will additionally have to:
· state your intention to take the full course,
· submit a 500-word statement explaining why you wish to train as an anthroposophic psychotherapist.
You will then be invited to attend an individual interview and, if successful will have to pay the balance of the full course fee as agreed with the course registrar.
Accommodation and meal booking
Once your application has been accepted you should apply for accommodation and meal booking for this course if required. Emerson College is a friendly, informal community and welcomes people of different ages and backgrounds from all over the world. Single rooms are available and are equipped with a single bed, desk, lamp, chair and linens. Bathrooms and showers are shared.
Accommodation can be booked through the Emerson website via the Booking Calendar.