Eastern Mennonite University’s master of arts in counseling program has created a new institute for advanced training for local counselors. The Institute for Experiential Therapies will provide continuing education credits, as well as other training opportunities, for counselors and therapists.
“This is not a lecture-based program,” Annmarie Early, director of the MA in counseling program. “We believe that change happens from the bottom up, not from the top down. It is experiential.”
The Institute for Experiential Therapies is an umbrella program to allow for more flexibility and creativity in the continuing education training EMU is already doing, Dr. Early noted.
“We want to provide good cutting edge training to local practitioners,” Early said. “Continuing education is a lifelong journey that is both inward and outward.”
The Institute will offer four areas of continuing education training.
The Expert Speaker Series will bring in an authority every year or two in an area of particular interest to the community. The first speaker is Dr. Sue Johnson, the creator of Emotionally Focused Therapy. She will give a day-long training Mar. 31, 2011 titled “Creating Connection in Couple Therapy: The New Science of Love and Bonding.”
The Post-Master’s classroom is a training program with graduate credit for post-masters counselors/therapists and selected non-clinicians. This year, Dr. Helen Beniot, a clinical psychologist with a specialty in depth therapies, is teaching an 18-month course titled, “The Journey: Studies in Depth Psychology.”
The Center for Expressive Healing Arts provides a variety of training that explores the arts as a means of healing.
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) training is also available. EFT is an effective counseling method for couples in distressed relationships. The training teaches counselors to map patterns in the relationship and helps couples work toward creating appropriate bonds.
To learn more about the institute, visit www.emu.edu/graduate-counseling/institute or contact the masters in counseling program at 540-432-4243.