Advanced Theory for Practitioners

Therapists unequivocally acknowledge the importance of a deep and well integrated understanding of theory as applied to the therapeutic process. However, the opportunities for acquiring a deeper knowledge of foundational theories are limited, and many therapists focus exclusively on gaining “clinical tools” as opposed to a comprehensive theoretical base knowledge. While useful and important, these skills can have a superficial quality to them without a more fundamental understanding of their meaning within a broader theoretical context.

This program aims to provide therapists with a more comprehensive, practice focused understanding of foundational psychodynamic and family systems theories as a means of enriching their clinical skills with firmly based theoretical knowledge. Participants will emerge with a newfound ability to conceptualize their cases so as to enable a more profound therapeutic experience with their clients.

The program consists of two stages. The initial stage will consist of six meetings, in which six different psychodynamic and family systems approaches will be covered didactically. Case material will be used to highlight the theoretical approaches and provide examples of their clinical applications. Participants are invited to use their case material as a means of deepening their understanding of the material.

The second stage of the training will begin with participants choosing one psychodynamic theory and one Family System theory as a means of conceptualizing one of their own cases for presentation to the group. Participants will be given extensive reading material to facilitate their presentation and will have access to individual meetings with the instructors as they prepare their case for presentation. Through these case presentations, participants will have an opportunity to integrate the didactic material into practice and to gain mastery over the theoretical concepts.

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