Perspective
   The mirror training at Process Therapy Institute is an intensive psychotherapy training program where we invite you to connect with and work from your inner truth while you maintain a position of therapeutic neutrality toward the client. We encourage you to develop an attitude of unconditional fascination for your work and for the human beings you treat. Inviting, following and working with the client's experience/s is taught and practiced. Within the frame of respect both for the client and for Self, each therapist is encouraged to fine-tune, develop, and/or branch out from his/her own therapeutic style. We teach a variety of therapeutic enactments, how to work in various mediums, and how to integrate the numerous counseling models into a psychotherapy you can feel comfortable with, and use effectively. Even though we use, teach, and work-with most current models of psychotherapy, in general our hearts and minds usually lead us towards inviting the resolution of the client's underlying developmental, traumatic, and psychological issues. For details on our personal philosophies, see Don's page; Carol's page.
    At PTI we invite clients, students, colleagues and ourselves to adopt a life direction of self-empowerment and increased flow of well-being. There is a strong spiritual element taught at PTI based on the idea that it is our job to connect to our center, to extend that center to our clients, and to work to transcend our own core issues.
   Our hope for you is that you leave the training with clarity about who you are as a therapist, with joy about your work and with freedom to be the best you can be.

The Format
   Each training meets four to five hours each week. Therapists of all levels attend the same class. (For info about a mirror training where all therapists are licensed, click here.) The therapists and instructor work together as a team. During a mirror session, the client is seen in a private room equipped with a two-way mirror. The therapist works with a client in front of the mirror and later observes other therapists' sessions from behind the mirror. During sessions, assistance is available to the therapist through the use of an ear piece. All mirror sessions are videotaped. Constructive feedback is provided on the videotape during your session for your review at home. Additional group feedback is given after your session.

The Clients
   PTI makes a continuing effort to attract individuals, couples and families who have a wide variety of presenting problems for you to work with in the trainings. If we are unable to provide clients, then the participating therapists work with each other. If you have private clients who would be willing see you in an educational setting, you are welcome to use them as your "mirror client."

Finances
   Tuition: for the mirror training is $375 per month.
   Income: If you provide your own mirror client, you are welcome to charge the client whatever you like. If PTI provides you a mirror client, PTI charges the client a maximum of $35 per session, of which the therapist receives $10.

Qualifications
   In our prospective participants we look, not for perfection or experience, but for a quest toward wholeness. During the interview process, we attempt to determine your readiness to participate in our programs by looking with you for the following tendencies:
   That you have enough ego strength to separate yourself from your client, and to take constructive criticism.
   That you are reasonably able to be aware of and willing to take responsibility for what you do.
   That you are available to commit to telling your truth, resolving conflicts, and cleaning up your messes.

Eligibility
You are eligible for the program if you meet the following requirements:

1. Your license is current in the field of psychology, counseling, social work, psychiatry, or medicine.
2. You maintain a current mal-practice insurance policy.
3. Completion of the enrollment process.

1. Attend an initial interview appointment. Tour the PTI facility and have your questions answered.
2. Observe a four to five hour mirror training session. You will experience the format, watch live therapy sessions, and have a chance to meet with current participants in the program.
3. Attend a final interview appointment. During this interview any reservations, questions and assessment of readiness will be discussed.

Availability of Openings
   For licensed professionals, there is no minimum commitment to this program. We recommend a minimum of one year. The average stay in this training is 18 to 24 months. Positions become available on an irregular basis. If eligible, you are placed on an active waiting list.

Some of the Concepts we Teach
      In working with licensed and pre-licensed therapists over the last 25 years, we have found that therapists want conceptual answers about therapy, clinical answers about how to do therapy, practical answers about how to deal with therapeutic situations in which they find themselves, and attitudinal/perceptual answers about how to invite client healing while staying in harmony with themselves.
      In our training program we help you discover concepts that work for you. We explore techniques and procedures for clinical work, practice down-to-earth techniques while in sessions with clients, and studiously invite to you aim for harmony within yourself while working with your clients.
      We provide you with an opportunity to gain understanding, develop skills, and be in well-being. Here are some of the questions that are addressed in the training:

How do I stay out of my own resistance while working with my client's resistance?
How do I work with the system without becoming part of it?
What do I do when my countertransference issues arrive?
What are my jobs as a therapist?
How does therapy work?
How do I set the tone for my sessions?
How do I join the client?
How do I tell my truth to the client?
How do I create a safe working environment for my client?
How do I get my clients to trust me? What do I do if I do not trust my clients?
What happens if I don't know what to do?
What are my limits around drug use, etc?
What if the client does not agree with me, or does not want to do what I suggest?
How do I do case consultations, treatment plans, case notes?
How do I set and enforce my limits?
How do I know which issue to work with?
How do I get to the issues that I guess are important?
What do I do when I get lost and don't know what to do next?
How do I handle no-shows, cancellations, non-payments, broken contracts?
How do I handle confidentiality, dangerousness?
How do I work therapeutically with: resistance, anger, sadness, trauma?
What techniques do I use to deepen, expand, resolve, complete, and heal?
How do I decide whether to work in body, mind, or spirit with the client?
What mediums should I use?
Which counseling theory works best with which presenting issue?
How do I connect to myself?
How do I learn to transcend myself and stay connected to my client?
How should I view resistance, dishonesty?
How do I stay mindful under pressure?
How do I get beyond the needs of my client?
How do I know when the work is completed?
When do I terminate therapy?

Additional Trainings
   The following trainings are free to those enrolled in our programs. Participants not enrolled in PTI programs pay an external fee for these trainings.