Training
Process Work Training in the UK
Your learning programme will necessarily be highly individual, whether you choose to pursue your studies informally or embark on a formal course of study.
Informal Study
You can be involved with and study Process Work at any level. Most Process Work training seminars and classes, in the UK and other countries, are open and welcome anyone interested in the work. You can attend one seminar or as many as you want. There is no requirement that you should register as a formal student.
In the UK you can also be involved in Process Work by joining RSPOPUK, the Research Society for Process Oriented Psychology. This is the national body for Process Work, founded here in 1988. As well as coordinating training, RS POP UK supports research projects in community and statutory agencies and acts as a network, keeping those interested in touch with what is happening here.
As an ordinary member of RS POP UK, you will receive information about seminars, our annual programme of events, can borrow Process Work videos and dissertations, and vote on issues at our annual General Assembly.
To join RS POP UK or to obtain more information about Process Work in the UK, email: contact@rspopuk.com.
Formal Study
While the study of Process Work involves understanding and practicing from within the Process Work paradigm and will necessarily vary from person to person, over time specific training requirements have been developed. These come out of experience of what is needed to ensure a good quality training. In 1981 Arnold Mindell and colleagues founded the Research Society for Process Oriented Psychology, (RS POP), in Zurich, Switzerland, as a base for research and training. Since then an international Process Work community of students, certified process workers and teachers, has developed, with Process Work centres in Zurich and Portland, Oregon, USA. Training is now widely available throughout the world, in Japan, Australia, India, Poland, Slovakia and in many other countries.
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Formal Training in the UK
Training in Process Work has been available in the UK since 1988. In 1998 RSPOPUK established an independent Process Work centre, the UK School of Process Work. This offers a full Process Work training programme in the UK, administered and coordinated by the RS POP UK Board of Studies and adapted from the training requirements developed in the Zurich and Portland training programmes.
Process Work is an evolving field and the RS POP UK training programme is also evolving. While in the past most students of Process Work were psychotherapists or were training as psychotherapists, increasingly people from many different backgrounds and interests are wanting to train in Process Work. The UK training programme currently offersthe Diploma in Process Oriented Psychology and a mentoring system. Both training options aim to support the diversity of individual learning needs and interests.
As an ordinary member of RS POP UK, you will receive information about seminars, our annual programme of events, can borrow Process Work videos and dissertations, and vote on issues at our annual General Assembly.
To join RS POP UK or to obtain more information about Process Work in the UK email: contact@rspopuk.com
Mentored Projects
The mentoring system is open to students, non-students and certified process workers. It does not lead to a qualification. Rather, it provides an opportunity for you to create a supportive structure together with a chosen mentor or advisor, (a certified process worker), enabling you to apply Process Work in a project pursuing some special interest. Your mentor will work with you on your dreams, ideas and goals, to develop a time-limited course of study and final project.
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Diploma in Process Oriented Psychology
This international diploma is a rigorous course of study of at least five year's duration, involving theoretical and practical examinations that lead to a Diploma in Process Work. It is designed to challenge you to gain a deep understanding of the philosophy, theory, metaskills and methods of Process Work and their connections with other associated schools of thought, while following your own life path and developing your unique style, as indicated by your individuation process.
Integral to the training is the understanding that we cannot just learn about Process Work, but must necessarily learn in a process oriented way. Helped by your chosen study committee and taking into account your lifestyle and way of learning, you are required to tackle your studies with a spirit of learning, taking responsibility for the detailed planning of your course of study and, throughout the training, ensuring that you are meeting training requirements. This approach requires you to make a sizeable commitment, not only practically in terms of time, money and effort, but, most of all, to bring awareness to and have the courage to meet the challenges of your `path of heart'.
You will do this as part of a national and international learning community. Connecting with other students, non-students, certified process workers and teachers, as friends, colleagues, mentors, therapists and examiners, necessarily requires you to handle multiple roles. We see having multiple roles as a basic aspect of everyday life, the stuff of real community. We regard processing the complexities of this as an important aspect of the training and an opportunity to access the humanity underlying those roles.
The diploma training involves a complex interplay of three main strands of learning: personal therapy, theoretical understanding and the experiential and practical application of Process Work.
Personal growth is seen as a fundamental part of your learning. Through your personal therapy work and your commitment to pursuing your path of individuation, through working with what disturbs you and venturing into the unknown within you, through getting to know yourself deeply, you become able to work with these disturbances and tensions in others. This is a core part of the training therefore students need to be in personal therapy continuously throughout their training. At least 4/5 of your personal work must be with a certified process worker. This can be achieved by working with certified process workers based in the UK or with a Process Work teacher based abroad.
The second area of focus is theoretical understanding, learning to grasp and use the Process Work paradigm within the broader context of its relationship with other psychologies, comparative medicine, movement work and body work, science and social and cultural factors. This involves extensive reading. There is a core reading list, which, together with your study committee, you can expand to meet your particular needs.
The third strand of the training is experiential and practical, learning to apply the Process Work paradigm in practice. You will do this by attending and participating in seminars facilitated by a broad range of Process Work teachers. Seminars on all required themes are offered in the U.K. Students are strongly encouraged to attend at least one international worldwork conference during their studies. You will also learn through group supervision, (where students practice Process Work with each other), personal supervision, case control and theory classes and by studying videotape of your and other's work. Additionally, you will undertake practical and worldwork placements and eventually gain experience by working with clients, offering courses and seminars to the public, and researching and applying Process Work in various fields.
The Process Work paradigm can be applied to any area of human experience.
Dream work; Body work, Symptom work, Movement; Relationship; Altered states, Extreme states, Addictions; Worldwork, Conflict resolution, Environment; Innerwork; Creativity and the Arts. For more information see application of process work.
These themes are essentially interconnected. Although your interest might be conflict resolution work, training in innerwork and extreme states is as essential to this as is worldwork. Similarly, a understanding of collective and social dynamics of conflict and oppression is necessary where your focus is on individual psychotherapy. Students are recommended to attend a minimum of one seminar on each theme in each phase of study.
The diploma training aims to prepare you to work as precisely and fluidly as possible with a broad range of human experience. You will be encouraged to access and use your own creativity with an attitude of beginner's mind to discover new ways of handling challenging situations, seeing these as an opportunity to learn and grow. Studying is, however, regarded as a lifetime's work and is expected to continue beyond the formal training; in fact, your diploma will be offered in this spirit and on this condition.
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Entry to the diploma
Entry to the diploma programme entails registering as a student of Process Work. To do this, it is important that your deepest life process and a current night-time dream confirm that this step is right for you. After working with your dreaming process with a certified Process Worker (who may also be your personal therapist), he or she will write a recommendation for you, welcoming you to become a student. You will also need to complete an application which in accordance with the spirit of the training, includes your night-time dream that confirms this step, along with other information about you, and your past training and experience. Your application together with the recommendation will be presented to the RSPOPUK Board of Studies for formal acceptance. Once accepted, you will then be welcomed as a new student at the next RSPOPUK General Assembly, and on the Student and Diplomate and Learning Community email strings. Application forms are available from the Coordinator of Training coordinatoroftraining@rspopuk.com (or download PDF on RHS panel above). The student registration form and oath of confidentiality (both below as PDFs) have to be completed and returned, together with a cheque for fees, to the Coordinator of Training. The registration form requires details of who is presenting you, names of the three people on your Study Committee, a curriculum vitae, a recent photograph and a short letter of presentation.
Forming a Study Committee
After being accepted by the General Assembly, you have up to three months in which to select (and inform the Coordinator of Training) three people to form your study committee. The person who recommended you and welcomed you into your studies will be your first committee member. Your committee consists of at least two certified process workers. It is often useful to have another UK student on your study committee and to choose people who either live in the UK or visit on a regular basis.
The study committee is your main resource in training matters. Its function is to accompany, support and challenge the student, help develop his/her talents and criticize when necessary. It is your responsibility to consult regularly with all members of your study committee, (at least twelve hours a year with one member and at least four hours a year with the other two members), and, with them, tackle any problems and devise your best and most rewarding way through the diploma training.
The study committee is at the core of the training programme. The student together with his/her study committee members is encouraged to, and responsible for, developing an individualised learning plan – A plan that assures the learning of all core areas of Process Work, as well as one that supports the student’s dreams, special gifts, and includes areas of interest for further research into the application of process work. That is, the student’s course of study is steered by his or her dreams, involvement in the world, and individuation path that together the student and the study committee follow, discuss, shape, and review. The student’s journey of learning and individuation is supported not only by the study committee but also by RSPOPUK, and the national and international learning communities of Process Work.
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Structure of the Diploma Training
The diploma involves two levels or phases. During Phase I of your studies, the focus is on understanding, cognitively and experientially, the Process Work paradigm and its application in various areas. This involves becoming able to communicate about it to others and being able to compare and contrast it with other approaches. Completing the Phase I stage is dependent on the approval of the Study Committee after the first year of study. Phase II studies focus on your learning spirit and the experiential and practical application of Process Work, on your ability to work with the paradigm, to discuss your work and to work fluidly with your own process.
At the end of each Phase of study there are exams. These are regarded as a ritual, marking points of transition as you wrestle with and go beyond critics and personal edges, as you pick up new identities, moving from student to facilitator of processes, an opportunity to celebrate your progress. They can be difficult and challenging, but also beautiful experiences. The Phase I exams concern your grasp of the paradigm, theory and concepts of Process Work and your ability to articulate it. The Phase II exams mark your entering a spirit of ongoing learning.
Phase I Study
After a minimum of one year, the whole study committee should meet together, in order to focus on you, find out how your studies are developing, and support you in connecting with your unique learning process, to the learning community and study committee. At this meeting, the committee will also look at the various strands of your studies, including personal therapy, seminar attendance, contact with your study committee, work in peer groups. The committee will determine that there have been sufficient hours (30) of personal therapy completed, as well as seminars (4), and consistent contact with the study committee and peer group. It is also a time to make sure that you have a basic familiarity with the Process Work paradigm.
At this meeting you will have an opportunity to present a written resume of your personal process, past experiences and dreams and proposed fields of study and research. This meeting is pivotal to determining if and how you proceed with your course of study. Exceptions to the guidelines stated above should be carefully discussed and processed with your study committee.
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Phase I Exams
After at least two years, when you are ready and upon written recommendation of your study committee, you can take your Phase 1 exams. You may need to sign up for exams approximately 6-9 months in advance. At the time of exams, you should have completed 80 hours of personal therapy, and attended a minimum of 8 seminars over the two years excluding supervision seminars. Because of the way in which the different themes interconnect and the usefulness of `cooking' them together, once started, the Phase I exams must all be taken within 13 month period. You will be examined on the areas of study listed below, in ten oral exams. Additionally there is an exam on the basics of anatomy and physiology in relation to Process Work, and an ethics discussion and exam.
Areas of study:
Substantial reading is required as well as seminar attendance (to gain a strong foundation knowledge in the following themes:
1. History and philosophy of process thought:
the foundations and development of process thought, drawing on Taoism, alchemy, mythology, physics and the psychology of Jung.
2. Process theory:
other psychological approaches, (including Jung, Freud, Gestalt, Moreno and Rogers, cognitive / behavioural, transpersonal), together with a basic understanding of modern physics, systems theory and information/communications theory.
3. Working in the visual channel:
the theory of process oriented dreamwork, knowledge of the dreamwork of other psychologies, (including Jung, Freud, gestalt, Moreno and Rogers), ability to work with myths, fairy tales and legends, knowledge of art therapy and of shamanism.
4. Working in the proprioceptive channel:
process oriented bodywork, including working with symptoms and illness, knowledge of other approaches to body work, comparative medical systems and foundations of psychosomatic medicine.
5. Working in the kinaesthetic channel:
process oriented movement work, knowledge of dance, dance therapy and the martial arts.
6. Working in the auditory channel:
process oriented approach to discovering the process structure in linguistic information, to working with music and sound, familiarity with music therapy and the field of linguistics.
7. Relationship work:
process oriented relationship work, a knowledge of systems theory and other approaches to relationship work, couple and family therapy.
8. Working in the world channel:
process oriented worldwork, including an understanding of social and political issues from a process work perspective, especially the dynamics of oppression, dominance and marginalisation, polarisations within a field and the facilitation of groups and conflict, a knowledge of other theories of group dynamics, systems theory, the collective unconscious, the I Ching, process oriented approach to environmental issues.
9. Working with altered and extreme states:
process oriented work with altered and extreme states of consciousness and addictions, familiarity with psychopathology, diagnosis, signs and symptoms, progression of the major disorders, (etiological theories), psychopharmacology, working with trance states, shamanism, ethnopsychotherapy and the collective aspect of these states. Work with the dying and with comatose states.
10. Working on yourself alone:
inner work, (which is practically examined), a knowledge of other systems of meditation, yoga, eastern and western spiritual practices, Jung's active imagination.
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Phase II Study
On passing the Phase I exams, you become a Phase II student. Provided you meet supervision requirements, you can now work with clients, calling yourself a student of Process Work, i.e. one hour supervision per 5 client hours. You will continue to develop the three strands of the training, attending seminars on each of the different themes and participating in video study and group supervision. You will be working towards an advanced level of skills and metaskills, a theoretical and practical understanding of individual and systemic processes, and an ability to process fluidly inner and outer tensions and life difficulties with a spirit of creativity and life.
Together with your study committee, you will determine your readiness to take the final Phase II exams. This will be at least three years, (the minimum period), after successfully completing your Phase I exams. While we regard studying Process Work as a lifelong activity, these final exams are an important stage in this process, reflecting a high level of skill and commitment on your part and are, invariably, an awesome experience.
Phase II Exams
Before taking the exams, you must have met the following practical requirements:
- the written recommendation of your study committee members and therapist
- 250 hours of personal therapy, at least 200 hours of which with a certified process worker
- 250 hours of case control and supervision, 15 hours of which recorded on video tape
- completed clinical and worldwork practical placements, amounting to 500 hours, 250 of which should involve direct contact
- run a course or workshop on process work
- completed a research project, a creative project or diploma thesis.
Areas covered are:
Ability to work on your own personal process:
1.Innerwork
2.Working on a personal conflict with that person
Ability to:
3. Work with an individual on an unspecified issue
4. Work with an individual on a symptom or physical illness
5. Work with an individual in an extreme state of consciousness
6. Work with relationship with a couple or family
7. Work with a group
Cognitive skills:
8. Analysis of a videotaped session which the examiners provide.
9. Ethical issues for individual, relationship and group work
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Professional Standards
RSPOPUK has a detailed Code of Ethics and Complaints Procedure available on request by any service user (See PDF on RHS panel above)
All exams are with examiners from the Process Work international training centres.
RSPOPUK has an Ethics Committee with a rotating membership. The committee promotes ongoing discussion and awareness about ethics within the learning community of process workers. In the case of conflict it mediates with an aim of supporting all viewpoints to be processed. It makes decisions as to appropriate action where there has been a violation of ethics.