"What does it mean to heal, properly speaking, in the context of an existential approach". With Dr. Michael Guy Thompson We aim to explore the lived experiences on irregular perceptions of reality with an open mind. Each Saturday includes: a live dialogue between Prof. Ernesto Spinelli and an International Existential Therapist; a moment to share your thoughts and feelings with the teachers; and a final integration facilitated by Bárbara Godoy. This series of ten dialogues set out to explore the multifaceted dimentions and complexities associated with Existential Therapies. It attempts to engage with various interpretations of insanity through the lens of patients often painful, confounding, and deeply unsettling life experiences. Healing - between Prof. Ernesto Spinelli and Dr. Michael Guy Thompson “What does it mean to heal, properly speaking, in the context of an existential approach to psychotherapy and psychoanalysis? How can we take a term that we ordinarily associate with the object of medical treatment and apply it to conversations that are conducted between therapists and their patients with the aim to live a happier and healthy life? In this dialogue I want to explore the concept of healing by exploring the etymology of the word, “heal,” which is cognate with such terms as sane, sound, sanitary, cure, and whole, in order to offer a non-medicalized and diagnostically-laden notion of how an existential approach to psychotherapy may further a healthy way to live. To this end, I want to explore the relationship between health, healing, and sanity – all derived from the same etymological root – and how psychotherapy is not concerned with “treating illnesses,” but with furthering authenticity in our lives. I will argue that living a sane life assumes a life that is lived passionately, honestly, and authentically.” Dr. Michael Guy Thompson. Dr. Michael Guy Thompson, PhD, received his psychoanalytic training from R. D. Laing and associates at the Philadelphia Association in London, and served as the organization’s administrator from 1973–1980. He is Personal and Supervising Analyst and Faculty Member, Psychoanalytic Institute of Northern California, San Francisco, and former Adjunct Professor at the California School of Professional Psychology, San Francisco, and the California Institute of Integral Studies, San Francisco. He is the author of over 100 journal articles, book chapters, and reviews, as well as numerous books, including The Death of Desire: A Study in Psychopathology (1985), The Truth About Freud’s Technique (1994), The Ethic of Honesty (2004), The Legacy of R. D. Laing: An Appraisal of His Contemporary Relevance (Ed., 2015), The Death of Desire: An Existential Study in Sanity and Madness (2017, 2nd edition), an extensively revised and expanded edition of the original, and most recently, Essays in Existential Psychoanalysis: On the Primacy of Authenticity (2024), also published by Routledge. Most recently, Dr. Thompson is founder and director of New School for Existential Psychoanalysis, a certificate-based virtual training program modeled on his work with R. D. Laing in London, based in San Francisco. He founded Free Association, Inc. in 1988 in San Francisco to further the legacy of R. D. Laing, and inaugurated the annual R. D. LAING IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY symposium at Esalen Institute in 2015, to further the legacy and relevance of Laing’s contribution to contemporary psychiatry and psychotherapy. He lives in Berkeley, California. www.mguythompson.com Prof. Ernesto Spinelli was Chair of the Society for Existential Analysis between 1993 and 1999 and is a Life Member of the Society. His writings, lectures and seminars focus on the application of existential phenomenology to the arenas of therapy, supervision, psychology, and executive coaching. He is a Fellow of the British Psychological Society (BPS) as well as an APECS accredited executive coach and coaching supervisor. In 2000, he was the Recipient of BPS Division of Counselling Psychology Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Profession. And in 2019, Ernesto received the BPS Award for Distinguished Contribution to Practice. His most recent book, Practising Existential Therapy: The Relational World 2nd edition (Sage, 2015) has been widely praised as a major contribution to the advancement of existential theory and practice. Living up to the existential dictum that life is absurd, Ernesto is also the author of an on-going series of Private Eye novels. Date and Time: Saturday 22 February from 2 pm to 3 pm – (UK time) Individual Dialogue Fee: £70 Venue: Online Zoom FULL PROGRAMME 2025: 25 January “Knots” with Prof. Ernesto Spinelli and Bárbara Godoy 22 February “Healing” with Dr. Michael Guy Thompson and Prof. Ernesto Spinelli 22 March “Difference” with Prof. Tod DuBose and Prof. Ernesto Spinelli 12 April “Polarisation” with Prof. Kirk Schneider and Prof. Ernesto Spinelli 3 May “Character” with Prof. Robert Romanyshyn and Prof. Ernesto Spinelli 21 June “Opening” with Dr. Yaqui Martinez and Prof. Ernesto Spinelli 19 July “Meaning” with Dr. Jan Resnick and Prof. Ernesto Spinelli 25 October “Invention” with Dr. Betty Cannon and Prof. Ernesto Spinelli 15 November “Hallucination” with Prof. Simon du Plock and Prof. Ernesto Spinelli 13 December “Hysteria” with Bárbara Godoy and Prof. Ernesto Spinelli Read the full programme here > Course Organised by:
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Jewellery from reclaimed copper: You will use traditional metalworking tools and techniques to turn copper reclaimed from electrical cable and heating pipes into a bracelet and pendant or a pair of earrings. This workshop is suitable for complete beginners and the price includes all the materials you will need to complete two pieces of jewellery to take home with you at the end of the workshop.
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Awareness for First Aid for Mental Health One Day Course Cost: £75 + vat per person SYLLABUS A range of First Aid for Mental Health related subjects are covered, including: What is First Aid for Mental Health Identifying Mental Health conditions Providing advice and starting a conversation Stress Mental health conditions Drugs and alcohol First Aid for Mental Health action plan First Aid for Mental Health in the workplace CERTIFICATION A Level 2 Award in First Aid for Mental Health will be issued to the learner, subject to successful assessment. This qualification is valid for three years from the date of achievement. It is strongly recommended that the learner attends annual refresher training. The learner must complete the entire course again to re-qualify for a further three years. Maximum of 16 people First Aid • Mental Health One of our standout offerings is our In-Person Workshops on First Aid for Mental Health. These Workshops are designed to help participants understand mental health better, recognise signs of mental health issues in others and learn how to provide initial help and guide a person towards appropriate professional help. Mental Health is just as important as physical health, yet it often gets overlooked in traditional First Aid Training Programmes. We aim to change this at APLUS Medical Services & Training by providing comprehensive Mental Health First Aid Training. Our interactive and engaging Workshops provide participants with practical skills they can use in real-life situations. They are led by experienced Mental Health Professionals passionate about raising awareness about mental health issues and empowering others with the knowledge and skills to make a difference.