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Playing with Fire Online Course
22 Oct 2021- June 2022
Exploring an Embodied, Relational and Wild Therapeutic Approach
To watch a video of me introducing the course
This will be the third time this course has run. Starting from the position that we are all embodied, relational animals and explores what kind of therapy is needed to meet that reality. What does an Embodied, Relational and Wild therapeutic approach look like? Working in this way requires us to turn up, to be available - emotionally, physically, intellectually. This course aims to support robust and non-defensive practice. Resourcing practitioners for the reality of working in a demanding profession, in a taxing medium.
Fire- strength, robustness, energy, risk, warmth, protection.
Playing – spontaneity, trying things out, lightness, flexibility, creativity.
Playing with fire - working with our own and our clients’ embodiment and relational responses. Perhaps exploring touch, movement, the erotic. All of these are potentially challenging arenas, that are not historically well supported or acknowledged within our profession. Are the dangers too great? In many ways it's more dangerous to ignore our own, or our clients’, embodiment, relational impulses and ecological selves if we wish to practice in an effective way.
October - Therapy as Play,
November - Working Relationally,
December- Exploring Embodiment,
January- Working with Movement and Touch,
February- Working with Wild Processes,
March - The Spirited Wild,
April - Erotic Charge,
May - Integration and Moving forward.
This course runs over nine months, giving time to immerse ourselves in meeting one another and the material. My aim is to support participants and the group to build trust and safety, facilitating a relaxation, into creative, serious play.
Suitable for counsellors, psychotherapist and allied practitioners, the course is experiential, underpinned by theoretical input. There are no written course requirements. There will be handouts and an online resource of relevant, accessible articles and book chapters to support the integration of your learning. The aim is to integrate the course into your current working practice.
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The group will be kept relatively small, to support sharing and intimacy. I'm interested in finding ways to offer accessible online training that still supports connection, embodiment and relationship. I hope we will talk, think, look, touch, move, breath and explore together.
This work is influenced by and grows from; Embodied-Relational Therapy, Wild Therapy, Eco-psychology, Nick Totton, Michael Soth, Family Constellations, Five Rhythms Dance, my relationship with the other-than-human and more-than-human and my garden.
Comments from previous course participant
"I have enjoyed the accessibility and emotional spaciousness of the course, it has surely changed my role as a therapist and made me more of who I am and allowed me to access my playful creativity in the room. Thanks a lot Allison" Shehla
Practicalities:
Times - Friday morning 10am-1pm, Fortnightly
Dates - 2021: October 22th & 29th, November 12th & 26th, December 10th.
2022: January 7th & 21st, February 4th & 18th, March 4th & 18th, April 1st & 22nd, May 6th & 20th, June 3rd.
Online - using Zoom
Cost - I'm offering a generous sliding scale, to make the course assessable, £870, £750, £630, £510. (£150 deposit). Course fees payable monthly.
Group size - 8 to 12 people
Please call or email to find out more: I offer a Skype/zoom conversation to explore if the course is right for you.