Course Catalog:
Residential Master's Programs
Listed below are brief descriptions of courses offered at the Institute. Not all courses are offered in an annual enrollment cycle nor is every course available in each program.
New courses may be developed to meet changing curricular requirements. The Institute reserves the right to substitute an equivalent course for any course listed in any curriculum. Some courses which offer special topics may be repeated for credit.
Alcohol and Chemical Dependency
The purpose of this class will be to examine and discuss the various forms of addictive behaviors (alcoholism, cocaine, speed, crack, relationships, work, etc.). We will examine and discuss the causes of these addictive behaviors and the psychological, physiological, emotional, and spiritual consequences of these addictive behaviors. Various methods of treatment are examined and discussed.
Psychopharmacology
Provides a basic understanding of neuro-chemical mechanisms of drug action. Topics include: sites of drug action, uptake mechanisms, the chemistry of neurotransmitters, tolerance, and course of drug action. Evaluation of drug literature and common classes of psychiatric drugs will also be covered.
Psychological Testing
Overview and introduction to research and practice in psychological assessment.
Clinical Practicum Seminar
In the course, students will gain experience in the applied psychotherapy techniques. Students will practice self-observations through supervisory experience to enhance their skills as therapists in training. Students will focus on and refine further therapeutic tools and practices. Students will also practice both case presentation and planning and constructive professional feedback in a weekly case consultation group.
Clinical Practicum Seminar
In the course, students will gain experience in the applied psychotherapy techniques. Students will practice self-observations through supervisory experience to enhance their skills as therapists in training. Students will focus on and refine further therapeutic tools and practices. Students will also practice both case presentation and planning and constructive professional feedback in a weekly case consultation group.
Clinical Practicum Seminar
In the course, students will gain experience in the applied psychotherapy techniques. Students will practice self-observations through supervisory experience to enhance their skills as therapists in training. Students will focus on and refine further therapeutic tools and practices. Students will also practice both case presentation and planning and constructive professional feedback in a weekly case consultation group.
MFT1 Systems Theory Introduction
The history and development of systemic thinking and its applications. Systemic theory led to the development of family therapy (MFT) as a discipline. The family is seen as the smallest unit of society and thus as the site of intervention. This course draws from the works of Bateson, Bowen, Satir, Minuchin, Haley, and others.
MFT2 Couples and Family Therapy
Specific techniques and theories devoted to working with couples using a systems theory approach. Various theories will be discussed. Practical applications of assessment, diagnosis, and treatment will be applied.
MFT3 The Child in the System
This class will provide an overview of the treatment of children with an emphasis on the child in the system. In children the inner life matures from within, then expands from experience with the outer world of family, neighborhood, school, and society. The systems, e.g., families, schools, and societies, in which children grow are also an integral part of their development and, as such, will be considered. The interaction between the interior world and the exterior world provides the focus of study and will be examined from a clinical as well as a developmental point of view. Practical application of assessment, diagnosis, and treatment from case material will be included.
MFT4 The Adolescent in the System
This class will provide an overview of the treatment of adolescents with an emphasis on the person in the system. In adolescents the inner life matures from within, then expands from experience with the outer world of family, neighborhood, school, and society. The systems, e.g., families, schools, and societies, in which adolescents grow are also an integral part of their development and, as such, will be considered. The interaction between the interior world and the exterior world provides the focus of study and will be examined from a clinical as well as a developmental point of view. Practical application of assessment, diagnosis, and treatment from case material will be included.
MFT5 Advanced Clinical Applications of Marriage, Family, and Child Therapies
Students will practice family therapy diagnosis and intervention. Emphasis will be placed on building skills and working as a reflecting team within class.
MFT6 Lifespan Development and Aging
Survey of theory and research related to biological, cognitive and psycho-social aspects of individual and family growth across the life-span. Students will be introduced to key developmental theorists and will be encouraged to apply basic life-span concepts to support their own ongoing personal growth and development as well as the growth and development of others. Consideration will be given to spiritual development and transpersonal growth within the cycle of development and emergence. Ten hours will be focused on aging.
Creative Expression
An experiential review of the contribution of creative expression to psychospiritual development and healing processes. The course introduces a variety of media including claywork, water media, creative writing, and movement to explore archetypal themes.
Psychotherapeutic Skills
This course will allow students to discover, develop, and refine their abilities to practice the art of individual psychotherapy. The core of this class will thus involve students practicing their art with each other. Each class meeting will devote a significant period to a practicum: students will work with each other in small groups; will take turns being the therapist, client, and observer; and then will examine and discuss their experience.
Human Sexuality
This course will present psychological and transpersonal aspects of human sexuality. Topics will include male and female sexuality, sexual communication, sexual orientations, relationships, sexual attitudes and behaviors (i.e., sexuality and spiritual practices), and commonly-seen sexual problems. Coverage will also include material from the DSM on sex and gender; laws pertaining to the practice of psychotherapy with respect to human sexuality; and ethical principles from the primary professional organizations.
Psychopathology and Diagnosis
A course designed to increase clinical skills in assessment, case formulation, and writing, differential diagnosis with the DSM IV, and development of treatment goals.
Counseling Skills: Across Cultural and Spiritual Traditions
This course will embrace a multicultural paradigm to understand the sociocultural, psychological, and spiritual aspects of counseling across different cultures. Students will gain an understanding of differences in worldviews and how diverse views shape personality, intercultural communication, behavior, values, and attitudes. Some of the issues that will be discussed are cultural universals and relativism, racism, discrimination, ethnocentrism, immigration, acculturation, cultural values, risk factors, adjustment, resilience, identity formation, poverty, war, and their communication, behavior, values, and attitudes. Students will critically evaluate Western-European and indigenous models to understand clinical issues, spirituality, and treatment. The multi cultural paradigm will be embodied in the pedagogy utilized in this course.
Indigenous Psychology
This class explores some of the major themes in indigenous psychology and spirituality such as cultural appropriation, marginalization of indigenous people, the current world situation and our collective responsibility, the restoration of the nation’s hoop and the world tree. Students will gain an understanding of how indigenous people view psychology and spirituality. Emphasis will also be placed on understanding, applying, and working with some indigenous practices, in particular with the Medicine Wheel as a tool for personal, community, and global transformation.
Psychodrama
Intensive course, providing experience with therapeutic and educational uses of scripted roles to increase flexibility and effectiveness in interpersonal relationships.
Law and Ethics
Overview of current laws and ethical issues that pertain to Marriage and Family Therapists and the practice of psychotherapy. Focus is on application of legal and ethical considerations that arise for clinicians including scope of practice, informed consent, limits of confidentiality, multiple relationships, conflicts of interest and recent legal mandates pertaining to therapy with individuals, families and groups.
Psychosynthesis
This course intends to provide students with a beginning understanding of psychosynthesis theory and practice, especially as it applies to their own personal and professional experience. The seminal work of Assagioli will be presented and subsequent theoretical developments in the field will be discussed, with the intention of providing a historical and contemporary understanding of this evolving approach.
Death and Dying
In this class, we will investigate the cultural denial of death, fears of death, stages of dying, types of death (physical, psychological, spiritual), signs of impending death. There will be emphasis in this part of the class on the issues the dying confront, communication with the dying and approaches to working with the dying. We will then explore the nature, stages and symptoms of grief (the psychological impact of grief, common emotional and somatic reactions, fears and concerns about grieving, the damaging effects of unresolved grief, anticipatory grief, stages of grieving, chronic grief, the disruptive changes in the family system), along with strategies for grieving effectively without feeling overwhelmed. The class will also explore the role of therapist/caregiver with grieving clients.
Transpersonal Growth Psychologies: Psychosynthesis
This experiential course explores transformations of the self through various transpersonal systems of growth and development. For example: emphasis may be placed on psychosynthesis practice, dream work, psychospiritual integration, creative expression, and others as applied to personal experience and development.
Transpersonal Growth Psychologies: Poetry Therapy
This experiential course explores transformations of the self through various transpersonal systems of growth and development. For example: emphasis may be placed on psychosynthesis practice, dream work, psychospiritual integration, creative expression, and others as applied to personal experience and development.
Group Process
This experiential class introduces students to group process in vivo within their own cohort. Experience will be anchored with theory.
Group Process
This experiential class introduces students to group process in vivo within their own cohort. Experience will be anchored with theory.
Group Process
This experiential class introduces students to group process in vivo within their own cohort. Experience will be anchored with theory.
Group Theory and Practice
In this course, students will enhance and deepen their experiential knowledge of group psychology. Topics include: group theory, purpose and goals of a group, types of groups, types of group leadership, and the relevancy of group psychotherapy in clinical practice.
Group Process
This experiential class introduces students to group process in vivo within their own cohort. Experience will be anchored with theory.
Group Process
This experiential class introduces students to group process in vivo within their own cohort. Experience will be anchored with theory.
Group Process
This experiential class introduces students to group process in vivo within their own cohort. Experience will be anchored with theory.
Spiritual Emergence
Crises developing from spiritual experiences and transpersonal growth; diagnosis, types of transformative experience, support and counseling for spiritual emergence and emergencies.
Psychology of Body Discipline: Aikido
A study of the history and theory of Aikido and the martial arts. Practical training in maintaining center and inner awareness under pressure, and learning to blend and harmonize with others. Emphasis on relationship between spiritual discipline and daily life.
Psychology of Body Discipline: Aikido
A study of the history and theory of Aikido and the martial arts. Practical training in maintaining center and inner awareness under pressure, and learning to blend and harmonize with others. Emphasis on relationship between spiritual discipline and daily life.
Psychology of Body Discipline: Aikido
A study of the history and theory of Aikido and the martial arts. Practical training in maintaining center and inner awareness under pressure, and learning to blend and harmonize with others. Emphasis on relationship between spiritual discipline and daily life.
Mind-Body Approaches
The psychology of somatic healing, including biofeedback, use of imagery, body therapies, energy work, pain control, stress reduction, and mind-body techniques.
Psychology of Body Discipline: Aikido
A study of the history and theory of Aikido and the martial arts. Practical training in maintaining center and inner awareness under pressure, and learning to blend and harmonize with others. Emphasis on relationship between spiritual discipline and daily life.
Orientation
A structured period of meeting classmates, sharing spiritual autobiographies, meeting the faculty, and learning about Institute programs and procedures.
Transpersonal Psychology, Theory, and Research
The course is an overview of the transpersonal orientation, offering an engaging inquiry into the intricate relationship between psychology and spirituality. The course includes a theoretical overview, the practice of discernment and making distinctions regarding transpersonal theory and practice, experiential practices, and a fieldwork assignment. This class also supports students in the skills of critical thinking, research and writing on transpersonal topics. The course will draw from the works of Wilber, Washburn, Grof, Welwood and others.
Personality and Psychotherapy Theories
This course will explore the transpersonal dimensions of personality and psychotherapy theories from the perspective of creativity and an understanding of the transpersonal self. The major approaches to personality and psychotherapy theory will be covered, including the study of Humanistic, Transpersonal, Psychodynamic, Behavioral, and other approaches, with an emphasis on the study and understanding of authenticity, and self-transformation. Both theory and application will be explored from the current cultural perspective of postmodernism and cultural diversity.
Transpersonal Psychology: Theory & Research
The course is an overview of the transpersonal orientation, offering an engaging inquiry into the intricate relationship between psychology and spirituality. The course includes a theoretical overview, the practice of discernment and making distinctions regarding transpersonal theory and practice, experiential practices, and a fieldwork assignment. This class also supports students in the skills of critical thinking, research and writing on transpersonal topics. The course will draw from the works of Wilber, Washburn, Grof, Welwood and others.
Introduction to Jung’s Psychology
This course will provide, in intensive format, an overview of the most important concepts in the theory of psychology as developed by C. G. Jung with emphasis on how these concepts have come to be applied in actual clinical work by Jungian analysts and Jungian-oriented clinicians.
