Articles & Workshops

The Authentic, Mindful Therapist: Through the Eyes of a Horse

An all day workshop to Enhance the Powerful Presence of the Therapist (Download Flyer)

AUTHENTIC PRESENCE is an all day workshop for therapists, utilizing a combination of Equine Assisted Learning activities and mindfulness practices.  The program has been developed by Pam Dudek, LCSW-C and Robin Dunning, Certified EAL practitioner, of The Horse Inspired Growth and Learning Program (HorseInspired.com) in partnership with Margery Silverton, LCSW-C of Relationship Counseling Services). Margery is a certified Imago Relationship Therapist and Consultant, authorized to offer CEUs to Imago Therapists.
                 
Equine Assisted Learning uses the horse as a feedback partner and is a powerful tool for enhancing the authenticity and powerful presence of the therapist.  All exercises are on the ground and no riding skills are necessary.

Because horses live in the moment and will only follow the lead of another horse or human who is perceived as coherent and “has it together,” they are perfect reflections of the degree to which we are the grounded, integrated people we seek to be in our therapy practices with our clients.

The day can be used as a personal growth day, just for the fun of it, and can also be used to get clarity about stuck points in dealing with certain clients.

Here is a shortened, edited description from a recent participant in the workshop: “. . . the first morning activities were to choose a horse to be my partner for the day, give him a name, then to bridle the horse and find a way to relate to him. In the afternoon, I guided (my horse) through a labyrinth, he walking slightly behind me and to my right. We passed by various objects I had chosen to represent aspects of my life (note: objects can also be chosen to represent obstacles in dealing with certain clients). I spent time with each object, mindful of its meaning, and mindful of the horse’s steady presence. In rhythm together, we arrived at the end of the labyrinth. Through-out this exercise I felt accepted by my horse. He had accompanied me on this journey as though it was also his. This acceptance, this living in the present, this trust transported me into my own trusting and safe place. . . When a horse can accept me into his space and accept me as his leader, I am free to claim the strength that comes from my own wise-woman self.”

Brenda Rozier-Clark, Certified Imago Relationship Therapist

Horse Inspired Growth and Learning Center, Monkton, MD

(for information and directions, visit www.HorseInspired.com)

Please call or email for future dates.

$140.006 Category

Category 2 CEUs (also counts towards Imago CEUs for Imago Therapists)

Imago consultant Margery Silverton, LCSW-C; Pam Dudeck, LCSW-C (Certified in Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy); and Robin Dunning (Certified in Equine Facilitated Learning)

Mindsight is a term developed by Harvard trained psychiatrist Dan Siegel to describe our capacity to percieve our own minds and the minds of others. Mindsight is cultivated through a special kind of focused attention. Recent scientific discoveries have shown that how we focus our attention can actually change the physical structure of the brain.

Mindsight is a skill which can be developed that has the potential to free us from patterns of mind that get in the way of living life to the fullest. It is the fundamental skill that underlies emotional and social intelligence.

Dan Siegel is a brilliant integrator of various schools of thought about the mind, the brain, and relationships and his lectures are widely attended by those in the brain sciences, the field of psychotherapy, and educators.

We are happy to present an introduction to his work at this two hour workshop. For those who are interested in delving further into Mindsight, we will be offering an ongoing group.

Clinical Consultation Group in Couples Therapy

In this 4-session group, Couples Therapists will have the opportunity to:

• Learn the basic theory and processes of Imago Relationship Therapy
• Explore one’s own attachment style and how that influences therapeutic interventions
• Present cases for discussion and consultation.
  

This group is appropriate for those therapists who are interested in learning more about IRT and also generally want to deepen their skills and competency with doing Couple’s Therapy work.

Please call or email for future dates.