Diploma In Relational Mindfulness

The Diploma in Relational Mindfulness offers 80 continuing professional development (CPD) hours. It consists of two modules. We also offer the modules as stand alone programs.

We are offering a discount if you apply for the the Diploma, compared to the cost of applying for the modules individually.

For more information and to apply for the stand alone modules, please click on the following links:

Foundations Of Relational Mindfulness - Module 1

Applied Relational Mindfulness - Module 2

To apply for the full Diploma, please read on, and click on the link at the bottom of this page.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This Diploma course is intended to give Qualified Practitioner’s grounding in the theory and practice of mindfulness within psychotherapeutic practice.  The course introduces participants to key therapeutic contemplative practices and relational skills, grounded in the practice of Core Process Psychotherapy, one of the original mindfulness-based therapeutic forms.  Its curriculum draws on over thirty years of experience in offering psychotherapy trainings based on depth mindfulness practice.  It invites us to practice deep listening to self, other and to the relational field through adapting ancient Buddhist meditation practices for working jointly in relationship.

Course participants develop the ability to deepen into a state of presence and learn to bring this state of awareness into Relational Mindfulness which then becomes the ground of enquiry into self and interpersonal process.  In this endeavour, mindfulness practices are integrated with western psychodynamics and psychotherapy skills yielding a fully integrated approach.  The main focus is a cultivation of qualities of presence, compassionate awareness, and enquiry that we can bring to self and other within relationship, and the extension of this into our clinical work. It will be of interest to therapists in many fields of qualified practice including psychotherapy, counselling, practitioners of complementary and orthodox medicine, body-oriented therapies such as Craniosacral Therapy and mindfulness-based practitioners in general.

The Devon course is made up of 2 x 5-day residential modules at Karuna Dartmoor, set within the beautiful Dartmoor National Park in Devon.  

(1) "Mindfulness in Relationship" (Part 1 of the Karuna Diploma in Relational Mindfulness) :

The inherent spaciousness and openness of being can become a fundamental resource in our lives and an orientation within both meditation and clinical practice.  It is through this spacious awareness intrinsic within our human condition, that suffering may be relinquished.

All of this has important implications for psychotherapy and the psychotherapeutic relationship.  The heart of the therapeutic process is not to re-work or change our self-nature, but to perceive it as it is, and appreciate our inherent health.  Psychotherapeutic activity is understood to take place within the context of a relational field within which the state of consciousness of both therapist and client are not separate.  Both therapist and client are thus on a mutual journey of exploration in which their processes are interdependent.  This goes beyond the usual concepts of transference and projection, and extends into a mutually arising field of consciousness.  The psychotherapist learns to perceive the information that is communicated within this wider field, and to respond appropriately.

(2) "Liminal Mind" (Part 2 of the Karuna Diploma in Relational Mindfulness) :

Building on the first module, we will continue to explore the subtle and subliminal territories of mind.  The "Liminality of Mind" allows us to move between conditioned consensual reality and qualities of knowing beyond our individual constrictions.  This threshold and the relational field that holds the dual co-emergent natures of mind is sometimes called a "Bardo".  Our capacity to stay open in a place where the old and known drops away but the emergent or realised has not arisen is encouraged.  Supported relationally we might find the courage to go "beyond our limits" whilst still able to abide in witness consciousness.

The Karuna Diploma in Relational Mindfulness - 80 continuing professional development (CPD) hours

The intention is to support therapists to feel more resourced, whole and protected, both within themselves and when with others. As such, time and space is given for cultivating personal wellbeing and resiliency through reflective exercises, mindfulness practices and enquiry into what supports and hinders our wellbeing. Therapists often find that the course helps them to deepen into a state of presence and learn to bring this state of awareness more fully into relationship.

Course participants will be introduced to key concepts and practices including:

• Finding a place of rest, resource and wellbeing from which to be in relationship;

• The value of mindfulness and how it can help create a safe therapeutic relationship and facilitate recovery from relational wounds;

• The Core Process theoretical model of Self, Being and Source and the cultivation of a being-to-being holding field;

• The power of present moment enquiry in relational work;

• Practices for tuning into more subtle and non-verbal aspects of communication.

We welcome people attending for various reasons including:

• Qualified existing Psychotherapists, Counsellors and Health Practitioners looking to gain CPD credits;

• Meditation Teachers and people interested in exploring the link between psychological and spiritual wellbeing.

We welcome people from all spiritual traditions or none - it is certainly not necessary to be a Buddhist to do this course, or have any prior knowledge of Buddhism. We respect and encourage the diverse ways people can connect with personal forms of wellbeing.

The courses below are listed in date order, the course that starts soonest is listed first.