Conscious Psychology Practitioner Training
Distance Learning Programme

Since launching in 2005, our Conscious Psychology professional training courses have trained many exceptional therapists, including a number of whom have gone on to join the OHC psychology team. In addition to their focus on professional development and opening up exciting career opportunities, these courses have also been a powerful support in helping accelerate the recovery process.

Until now, the only way to join these trainings has been by attending in London. With a wish to open up this transformational learning programme to a wider audience, for the summer entry point in 2017 we are going to be trialing something new.

For an affordable monthly payment we are offering the possibility of joining our Level 1 and 2 courses from the comfort of your own home. Each month you will receive a HD quality video recording of that months training weekend, with clear instructions of how to follow from home. You will also have a monthly interactive video training with one of the course trainers, and be introduced to other students you can do exercises with online.

If after the year of following the course from home you decide you would like to attend the training in person and take steps towards certification, you will then have the option to pay the balance of your course fees and attend the course in London. The benefits of joining the training in this way are:

1. Supporting your own healing journey
A major emphasis on the professional training courses is how to apply what you are learning to yourself, as we work on the premise that the best practitioners are always those that have worked through as much of their own “stuff” as possible. By joining this community there will be a significant deepening in your own self-development.

2. Monthly support through a focused group on the same path
In our monthly online session using free to use video conferencing technology from your computer similar to Skype you will work in a group of likeminded people. Joining this community will be a powerful support to stay on track.

3. Significant steps towards a rewarding future career
To certify as a practitioner you do need to attend the course in person. However, by following from home for a year first you will have a chance to take a big step in your learning journey whilst also applying what you are learning to support your own healing process. If you are not looking to become a practitioner, the tools you will learn are still invaluable for your own personal development, and are transferable to a multitude of different careers.

Please note spaces are limited and first come first served.  The deadline for applications to join the next group is June 26th.

FAQ’s

What is the cost?
The cost of the programme is a £300 deposit and 12 monthly payments of £125.  There is a 10% discount for up-front payment.

How much work is involved?
Learning will be at your own pace. There will be recordings from the monthly training weekend each month, and a one-hour group video session. You will also be encouraged to do “swap sessions” with other students via Skype or phone. However, the key thing will be to take it at your own pace.

What if during the year I decide I want to switch to the in person course?
We would definitely support you in doing this and adjust payments accordingly.

If I just complete the year from home and don’t attend in person, will I still receive a certificate?
Yes, you will receive a certificate for completing the course. However, to achieve our practitioner level qualification and the related access to professional indemnity insurance and governing bodies you do need to attend in person.

What is the cost of continuing the programme in person?
The balance of the cost of Level 1 and 2 would be £2000. This would require you to be accepted on our scholarship programme for reduced rates.

Will you be running this programme again?
This programme is an experiment. If there is enough interest we will consider running it again.

I’m based outside of the UK, can I still join the programme?
Yes. In fact, part of the logic of offering this programme is to make these teachings available to those unable to attend in person.

Am I guaranteed to join the in person course after one-year?
We guarantee to hold a space for you until two months before the in person training starts, by which point you would need to make a decision for that entry point. However, in the unlikely scenario we felt the course was not the right fit we do reserve the right to refuse continuing with the course.

What do I do next?
Please contact alex@theoptimumhealthclinic.com to register your interest.

Testimonials from previous students attending our in-person training:

Lisa
It’s funny that I have just been asked to write about my experience as i have just been doing a practice session with a friend (someone who also does the course) and she was just saying how hard it is to imagine where we were 2 years ago at the start of the course to where we are now. Our analogy was,
‘it’s like the distance from here to the moon!’ We had just spent the last few hours doing therapy with each other so were in a pretty good space (no pun intended).

I decided to do the course as I had gained so much from the individual sessions with Anna, but was still far from being ‘normal.’ In fact I had gone from being more or less housebound with no work or social life to doing a few social things and spending more time outside the house, so I was quite apprehensive about whether I’d be able to do a weekend or not.

I decided to challenge my beliefs and thought I could use some of the basic techniques Anna had taught me whilst there. The first weekend I completed successfully, in fact I seemed physically to have more energy at the end of it as things were making sense to me. I must admit, the first weekend was a little tiring in terms of me trying to grasp the new information, but knowing that there was no pressure to take everything in, that I could repeat it if I missed it, and that there was the course information online helped loads.

It was so nice to be surrounded by people with M. E, who were more or less in the same situation as I was in, many not knowing if they could make it either. It was great that I could do whatever I wanted, take quiet time to myself or rest or be with the others. If someone had any big challenges come up, including myself on the second weekend, there were previous students there to help us get through any difficulty including Anna who was able to take me aside for half an hour during the lunch break.

Being on the course was different to any other learning environment I had experienced as, due to the nature of the course, we spent a lot of time being in different states such as calm, relaxed states and other beneficial states allowing plenty of ‘down time.’ There were many ‘aha’ moments and even after the first weekend there were many shifts taking place that hugely affected my life.

Being the therapist has been a real journey of not having a clue to building up many personal skills and qualities that make me who I am today. The course and tutors tend to guide and mould you into being more of yourself as a therapist rather that an NLP robot whilst providing the space for you to do that.

Now I am working part time as well as spending the other ‘part of my time’ starting my own business as a therapist. I am starting my supervisions in a few weeks time and cannot wait to start using this stuff officially. Oh, and you make a lot of friends doing this, both on the course and from the changes you’ll start to see as you progress with your life outside of the course.

Emma
When I first began the practitioner course it was very shortly after I began my personal therapy sessions with Alex. I was experiencing the beginning stages of what was to become my recovery from years with M.E, but was still very ill at the time. Some weeks were extremely challenging due to factors such as being out of the house all day, being away from home and having to sit up and concentrate for longer periods of time than I was used to, however, knowing I was surrounded by people who understood what I was going through made this all much easier to handle. I was free to lie down whenever I needed to and there was no pressure in anyway shape or form. At the lunch breaks its not unusual to see people lying in ‘the quiet room’ or doing a meditation.

That first year was difficult due to still being quite unwell, and I ended up missing quite a lot of the weekends, but the great thing was, I was able to do the course again the following year (and the year after that!) with no extra cost.

I know I couldn’t have physically coped with the demands of any other course, but the environment and understanding on the OHC practitioner course made it possible. Over the months on the course, it helped me re integrate back into society on a social level and also built my confidence in my ability to use my mind and stay out all day! By the end of my time on the course, I wasn’t only managing to stay awake all day (a huge achievement in itself!) but also going out with friends on the evening after a full day studying!

I am now completing the final stages of level 3 and feel I have grown so much as a person since beginning the course a number of years ago. The tools and techniques I have learned over the past three years are invaluable as a therapist, but also will continue to be of huge value for my own personal growth.

Thea
Before I became ill I really wanted to train in Psychotherapy but could never find the time or money. Then I became too ill to work, let alone think about that so my dream got sadly put on hold. I had no idea that in going to see Anna as a patient that doors would also open again for me in this way.

Very quickly after I’d begun seeing Anna she asked if I might be interested in the Practitioner’s course. And I was! But I had certain fears and doubts. The first was would I have enough energy to be able to travel to London and attend the weekends. My second, big fear was about being in learning environment again when it had been so long and the most I’d done in years was the odd evening class whilst feeling ill.

Fortunately, both of these fears were proved to be just that….fears in the end. I won’t say that I wasn’t nervous and sometimes felt tired/or had symptoms whilst I was there. But the course helped me hugely in so many ways. Firstly it enormously improved my confidence about what I was physically capable of doing because I made every single weekend except one because I went on holiday! Secondly, it tangibly aided my recovery. I learnt so many fantastic &
fascinating tools that I applied to myself along the way. And thirdly, I learnt about psychology and emotion in a way that not only gave me confidence in my own ability to learn again but also started my new career. Some things feel fated and this course did for me. I realised that I gained so much more out of this course then I would have done from the Psychotherapy training I was originally intending because of the practical tools I learnt.

The other side of the course was the people I met. I made lasting and supportive friendships with people on my wave length. I also found there was a great degree of support and encouragement from Alex, Anna and the other trainers. Unlike other training courses they really understand ME, so were understanding if I had a slightly wobbly day.

They were also really warm and encouraging around acting as the therapist for
the first time with each other as clients. I was a little nervous about this at first but realised that everyone is at first and the point is to just have a go! And I did and started really enjoying myself.

Without doubt, the Practitioner’s course positively contributed to my recovery, new career, friendships and life generally. I remember feeling so happy and excited every time I came home after a weekend from all that I’d learnt and experienced. I would recommend it to anyone who is even only a little interested in the subject matter and also wants to get better. My life would be very different now had I not followed my heart, despite my fears and gone for it.

Frances
“I thoroughly enjoyed the Practitioner training and found it really beneficial in terms of integrating back into the world after the journey ME took me on. It helped me develop my work as a Bowen Therapist and ultimately provided me with more tools to benefit others in my work. I feel this course would be great for anyone, in recovery from ME or just someone who wants to do a comprehensive and up to date therapy training course. I loved learning from Alex, Anna and the other tutors on the course. The course gave me the space to develop my role as a therapist while also working on some past issues that were still affecting me- one thing that amazed me was clearing a trauma that had been passed down from my ancestors in the ‘time-line’ work! Practically though, I noticed differences in my work and behaviour- I got more clients, I was more focused, and most importantly I was happier and more whole and integrated as a result of this training course. I also made some close friendships, which is always valuable. I would highly recommend this course to anyone.”

Alexandra
After I had started doing some work with the psychology side of the clinic, I heard of the practitioner training course and was tempted to do the course because I was fascinated by the tools which I had been learning, and which had allowed me to make so much progress in a relatively short space of time. I was concerned that I might not have enough energy for the course, as my energy was still very limited at the time and what energy I did have was going into working part-time. The financial investment also worried me slightly as I
wasn’t sure at the time how long it would take me to be able to get my health back fully.

I was soon reassured when I started the course, as although we learnt a lot over the first few weekends the atmosphere was very calm and supportive, which mean that it took a LOT less energy than being at work, or even spending time around friends. The tutors were obviously very used to creating a learning environment which is suitable for people still recovering from ME, and it was considered entirely normal to have a nap at lunch time. I found it invaluable learning more about the processes which the psychology department use with patients, as it allowed me to understand much more fully how to work with my own mental and emotional state to give myself the best chance to recover physically. Being surrounded by others who were also learning this material, and many of whom were also working on their own recovery, was also a very supportive experience, which helped me to stay positive when I was finding things difficult.

The material I learnt from the course helped me not only to recover physically, but also to view the experience of being ill as something from which I had learnt a lot, and also to integrate those insights into the new life which I started building as my health returned.