The Psychosynthesis Distance Learning Program comprises three courses. Each one is a prerequisite for the course that follows, and each course builds on the previous one. Please note: These programs are educational programs only. If you are seeking psychotherapy or counseling, please see Therapy or consult a professional in your area.

Course I

This course is designed for those who wish a strong foundation in psychosynthesis but who cannot attend the residential Training Program for Professionals. The course includes both conceptual and experiential content, similar to that covered in the Training for Professionals (see the Training Page for course content). The entire course is carried out by the individual student working independently, with email comments and feedback from the instructor around the various written assignments. There are no online forums, groups, or physical meetings involved.

Readings and CDs The readings will include pertinent articles, CDs, and two books by John Firman and Ann Gila: The Primal Wound (SUNY Press, 1997) and Psychosynthesis: A Psychology of the Spirit (SUNY Press, 2002). The books can be purchased through local booksellers, or online (e.g., SUNY Press, Amazon, etc.).

Experiential The experiential aspect involves exercises focused on inner dialogue, subpersonalities, disidentification, childhood history, authentic unifying centers, and Self-realization. For each exercise the student will write a one-page response paper that will be emailed to the instructor for comment. CDs or written instructions are provided for each experiential exercise.

Papers Besides the one-page exercise reports, there are three papers required in this course. These are not academic or research papers but instead ask students to reflect upon and apply their understanding of the material. Each paper will be between two and four pages and the student will be provided specific instructions for each. The papers will be submitted via email and will be returned with the instructor’s comments.

Materials The student will be provided with a syllabus outlining ten sequential classes, the reading assignments for each, and the experiential exercises to be completed for each class. The experiential exercises will be provided in the form of CD’s or written instructions.

Time The course is designed to be completed in ten weeks, with approximately three hours per week of reading, writing, and exercises. However, the pace is up to the individual student provided the course is completed within two years of the mailing of the materials.

Certification Upon completing the course, the student will receive a certificate of completion and will be eligible to apply for Course II.

Continuing Education Units The course qualifies for 30 Continuing Education Units For MFTs and LCSWs in California (as authorized by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences, approval number PCE 10).

Fees The cost of the program is $600 (this includes tuition and all materials except the required texts, The Primal Wound and Psychosynthesis: A Psychology of the Spirit by John Firman and Ann Gila which must be purchased separately). Upon acceptance to the course, this fee is due in full and is not refundable once the program material has been put in the mail. For students who live outside the United States, the fee can be paid by international money order or wired through Western Union.

Who Should Apply The distance-learning course is open to anyone who wishes to begin to apply the principles of psychosynthesis in their personal or professional lives. Psychosynthesis has been used by psychotherapists, family therapists, pastoral counselors, body workers, spiritual directors, business people, lawyers, physicians, nurses, artists, writers, social workers, educators, hypnotherapists, parents, and many lay people seeking to foster their own personal growth.

Application To apply for the course, please email the following information to GilaFirman@aol.com:

1) Name, address, phone number, email address
2) Education, training, and profession
3) Past personal growth experience (programs, groups, therapy, etc.)
4) How you intend to apply the training

Upon reviewing your application, you will be notified by email. For more information please call (650) 322-0817 or send an email to GilaFirman@aol.com.

Refund Policy: Fees are nonrefundable.

Course II

This course builds on Course I and is for those who wish to explore more deeply two essential models in psychosynthesis: the stages of psychosynthesis and Firman and Gila’s developmental model. The emphasis in this component of the distance learning program is on personal exploration and includes exercises and readings in addition to three one-hour conversations with the instructor via Skype (access to Skype is necessary in order to enroll in this course). At the completion of each of the eight classes within the course, the student will be required to write a three-page paper that will be returned with the instructor’s comments.

Materials The student will be provided with a syllabus that includes an outline of the eight individual classes, the reading assignments, and the experiential exercises to be completed for each class. The experiential exercises will be provided in the form of CD’s or written instructions. Readings will be assigned from the books used in Course I, as well as additional articles will be mailed.

Time The course is designed to be completed in approximately twelve weeks; however, the pace is up to the individual student provided the course is completed within two years of the mailing of the materials.

Certification Upon completing the course, the student will receive a certificate of completion and will be eligible to apply for Course III.

Continuing Education Units The course qualifies for 30 Continuing Education Units for MFTs and LCSWs in California (as authorized by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences, approval number PCE 10).

Fees The cost of the program is $1000. Upon acceptance to the course, this fee is due in full and is not refundable once the program material has been put in the mail. For students who live outside the United States, the fee can be paid by international money order or wired through Western Union.

Course III

This course is designed for professionals — psychotherapists, spiritual directors, counselors, teachers, coaches, and others in the helping professions. The text for this course is A Psychotherapy of Love: Psychosynthesis in Practice (SUNY Press, 2010) by John Firman and Ann Gila, and the topics covered in this course include psychosynthesis therapy as a journey model, spiritual empathy, therapist as authentic unifying center, the death and rebirth of the therapist, power and ethics, and empathic resonance.  This material will be explored both conceptually and experientially through the readings, exercises and questions posed by the instructor. Students are required to write four five-page papers that will be returned with the instructor’s comments, and there will be three one-hour conversations with the instructor via Skype (access to Skype is necessary in order to enroll in this course).

Materials The student will be provided with a syllabus outlining the individual classes within the course, the reading assignments, the experiential exercises to be completed, and the questions to be addressed for each paper. The experiential exercises will be provided in the form of written instructions. The required book, A Psychotherapy of Love: Psychosynthesis in Practice, is to be purchased by the student, however additional readings will be mailed to the student and are included in the cost of the course.

Time The course is designed to be completed in approximately ten weeks; however, the pace is up to the individual student provided the course is completed within two years of the mailing of the materials.

Certification Upon satisfactorily completing the course, the student will receive a certificate of completion.

Continuing Education Units The course qualifies for 30 Continuing Education Units for MFTs and LCSWs in California (as authorized by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences, approval number PCE 10).