THE TRAINING OF PI HELPERS, ASSISTANTS & TRAINERS (2017)
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THE TRAINING OF PI HELPERS, ASSISTANTS & TRAINERS (2017)
A. Certification of PI Helpers and Assistants.
- Guidelines for Helper Trainer:
It is up to the local trainer to decide who will serve as Helper. The Helper must be a certified practitioner, have taken the Master / Advanced Training and be actively practicing this modality. The Helper is required to serve for a complete three year training period. At the successful completion of this period s/he will write a 10-page report. This report needs to show the helper’s self-reflection on their experience and their process during this training. It also needs to clarify their motivation and their learning to be awarded a helper’s certificate by the trainer through ICPIT. - Guidelines for Assistant Trainers:
The local trainer decides who they welcome as an assistant trainer and needs to inform ICPIT at the beginning of the training of this choice. The Assistant must have completed the Master / Advanced Training and a training cycle as Helper. S/he required to work with clients in the modality and serve as an Assistant for a three year training period. On successfully completing the following goals and requirements, the candidate will be awarded an ICPIT Assistant Trainer Certificate.
a. Goals:
1. to assist in the teaching of the modality
2. to develop embodied skills in teaching, communication, leadership, organization, ethical behaviour, group dynamics, relating, collaborating, empathy, self reflection, containment and psychotherapeutic skills
3. to assist in the support and supervision of the students
b. Requirements:
1. The trainer and the assistant commit to cooperate for a specific period of time.
2. During the training the assistant will take on some leadership functions, both with the trainer present and with the Trainer not present.
3. These functions may include any topic relevant to the training, eg a review of strokes, teaching on psychological development, character or therapeutic process work, group dynamics etc as agreed on by both the Assistant and the Trainer and communicated to the group.
4. After or during each group training block, Trainer and Assistant meet to share their experiences in relation to each other and in relation to the group.
5. The assistant should over the years
a) continue to work with clients under supervision. This assures continuing focus on the role of the practitioner. The supervision should be in line to WCP (World Council of Psychotherapy) standards.
b) continue a professional development in Bodymind Integration and Body Psychotherapy.
c) train in group leadership, e.g. ICPIT CPD Group Leadership Courses.
d) learn about working with trauma and human potential.
e) attend conferences and symposia
6. We recommend that the Assistant trainer experiences assisting and supervision with different trainers.
7. If a training is interrupted, ICPIT will decide whether it is possible and advantageous for the assistant to continue with another trainer.
8. During the training where the candidate assists, s/he writes a two-page diary report after each group training block and discusses it with the trainer.
The report to include:
a) Difficulties and successes in the role as an assistant and how these were dealt with in and outside the group.
b) Relation to Trainer in the group, specifying the needs of the assistant and how they were met / not met, and any suggestions for improvement.
c) Relation to group over the assisting period
9. At the end of the full training period, the assistant is to write:
a) a 5-pages reflective report on what was learnt in the role of assistant
b) a 20 page paper on a topic relevant to the training of Postural Integration in English.
After fulfilling the requirements to become an assistant trainer, the ICPIT council will deliberate and decide upon the application as a trainer.
B. Certification of PI Trainers:
(1) Trademark
Postural Integration® is a protected Trademark. Trainings in Postural Integration® can only be given under the Auspices of ICPIT.
(2) Trainer’s skills and abilities:
The process of becoming a trainer involves other trainers making assessments about the prospective trainer’s skills and abilities. We are looking for the person’s willingness to further develop the following qualities:
- emotional maturity – meaning the ability to acknowledge, express, share and contain deep feelings
- willingness to reflect on their own process
- willingness to take responsibility for their own bodymind
- ability to touch and connect with respect and empathy
- professional knowledge and skills of the method you teach, including their limitations and your own limitations.
- longterm leadership, group facilitation and teaching ability
- ability to give supportive supervision and feedback
- commitment to support others in their development (both students and helpers/ assistants)
- ability to communicate with other professional workers
- ability to adhere to ethical and professional rules and standards
- willingness to continue professional and personal growth
- willingness to search for and receive professional support in their role as trainer
- willingness to work with the four pillars of Bodymind Integration – energetic, tissue, movement awareness, attitudes
(3) Standard Procedure for becoming a Certified PI Trainer
As well as fulfilling all the requirements for certification as Assistant, during their third year as Assistant or thereafter candidates must moreover:
- have practiced professional supervised PI following the requirements of WCP, including individual and group work for a minimum of 5 years.
- have completed Advanced Training, Helper Trainer, and Assistant Trainer
- give a teaching lecture-demonstration of a PI unit in the presence of two PI trainers (the ‘mentor trainer’ and an outside trainer) with a group of students.
- assist in the organization and the advertising of a PI training and / or CPD-workshops, Introductory Workshops, Symposia etc. (this may begin earlier than the third year).
- if that is approved, the applicant needs to send a copy of the signed ‘Trainer Candidates Demonstration Form‘ together with a copy of the research report and a Curriculum Vitae to the Secretariat of ICPIT to be received at least 2 months before the next Council meeting
- complete an ICPIT trainer’s & supervisors training
- attend a Council meeting to present herself and meet the other trainers
- the mentor trainer need to give their report to the Council
- when the candidate is accepted, s/he will need to sign the trainer agreement form and pay the current membership fee to become an ICPIT member.
- the Trainer Certificate is issued by ICPIT; a certificate fee is due to ICPIT (currently 100 €)
- ICPIT must approve trainings in any locale.
C. Continuing Effectiveness of PI Trainers
(1) Trainer as Teacher
The Trainer’s many changing roles as teacher include:
- the ability to include a clear framework for students asking questions,
- a rapport with the individual student and the group which reveals a sense of their needs and level of development,
- the capacity to use their body and emotions in an effective teaching style,
- knowledge of when to lead and when to follow the group training process,
- the ability to communicate as an individual teacher or as a spokesman of the whole group,
- the capacity to lecture with knowledge, order and clarity
- the ability to help students become problem solvers, not only for the technical aspects of being a practitioner, but also for dealing with any conflicts that arise in the training or their practice.
(2) Continuing Professional Support for Trainer
The members of the Council recognize that in order to sustain their effectiveness as trainers, it is important that they work with their own feelings and attitudes as they take in their multiple roles as individuals, teachers, therapists, students and clients.
(3) Sharing Training Methods and Theories
As a diverse group of teachers and therapists, ICPIT brings together a rich reservoir of knowledge and experience. The application of new ideas or modification of old methods is needed in an approach as powerful and holistic as Postural Integration. The Council members continue to share and evaluate an exciting variety of teaching systems and methods.