DESCRIPTION: Many counselors focus on assisting clients to develop stronger egos, greater self-esteem, and increased interpersonal connection. Though these are admirable goals; when clients experience trauma, loss, or other threats to identity; they are often left feeling hopeless, without purpose, and struggling to create meaning in their life. Existential thought in psychotherapy provides a foundation to meet clients at this life stage by exploring the four elements of “ultimate concern” that lie under the surface of many of these presenting problems. The four ultimate concerns are: 1) Death, 2) Freedom, 3) Isolation, and 4) Meaninglessness. Learning to identify and work with these themes directly can be a powerful resource for mental health professionals on two levels. First, it can serve as a profound lens that frames and gives nuance to many of the surface issues and concerns that clients bring with them into the consulting room. Second, it can help mental health professionals better understand how to tolerate and relate to the existential anxiety experienced by their clients and by themselves with more choice, responsibility, congruent meaning-making, and effective action. NOTE: This training can be taken independently and is also one of the co-requisites (along with Somatic Psychotherapy) for the Noeticus Integrative Gestalt Therapy Certification Program™ (NIGTCP).

• DATE: January 9 and 10, 2020 (Thursday & Friday).
• TIME: 9:00 am to 6:00 pm.
• CE CONTACT HOURS: 15.0 Contact Hours.
• CE APPROVALS: DORA, NAADAC, NBCC; Applicable to Integrative Gestalt Therapy Certification.
• RECOMMENDED TEXT: Participants may find it helpful to read this book by existential psychotherapy author and pioneer Irvin Yalom, MD, available HERE.
• PREREQUISITE(S): None.
• DISCOUNTS: Groups of 3+ = 10%; Military/Veterans = 15%; Graduate Students = 20%; Noeticus Staff/Alums = 25% (Provided at Check-Out).