Breathing Into Liminality –
Explore and Experience Psychedelic Assisted Therapy
30 November - 1 December 2024
liminality [lim-uh-nal-i-tee] noun Anthropology The quality of the middle stage of a rite of passage. To stand at the threshold between a previous way of structuring identity, time or community and a new way.
The Invitation
Join us for an immersive two day in-person event offering a safe and supportive environment, to expand skills, knowledge and insight by journeying in Holotropic States of Consciousness (HSC) using breathwork enhanced by online preparation and integration.
This training is for therapists and practitioners who are on a journey of self awareness and...
* Are interested in the rapidly growing field of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy (PAT).
* Are working, or considering work, in the field of PAT and are looking for a space to reflect on practice.
* Are looking to enhance any theoretical PAT training they may have completed or are considering attending.
* Are looking to build relationships with like-minded people to support accountability and practice in this unregulated therapeutic domain.
Through a combination of personal and group preparation, experiential practice, and group and partner discussions, the training offers an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the therapeutic nature of breathwork and psychedelics and discover how these methods can facilitate healing, personal growth, and transformation.
Holotropic States of Consciousness, as described by Stanislav Grof, are states that bring about transformation, evolution and healing and have a heuristic aspect to them. Holotropic means moving towards wholeness (Grof - Way of The Psychonaut Vol 1 Pg 3). HSC is an umbrella term for Expanded States, Non-ordinary States, Psychedelic States and Altered States of Consioucness.
Journeying in these states we can enter liminal spaces. For 1000’s of years humankind has entered HSC in different ways, across many cultures around the globe, to further learning, healing and creativity. This brought benefits to both individuals and their communities.
Many people report that journeying in HSC, using a variety of methods, including substances and Breathwork, has been instrumental in helping them to connect with who and what they truly are and to step into their reason for being (Grof 1998).
Much of the contemporary Breathwork on offer today is rooted in pioneering work from the psychedelic field. Breathwork is often used as a training tool for therapists working within clinical research and as a preparation tool for psychedelic retreats across the globe.
Facilitating experiences in HSC requires a depth of presence, centredness and groundeness such as those that come from committed personal wellbeing practices. Self-care, self-reflection and inner-enquiry are essential to bring yourself to this unique way of working with the depths of the psyche. It can often be experienced as transpersonal by both the facilitator and the client.
There can be an expectation by people looking to experience
working in HSC that those holding space for them have personal
experience of the work and that this brings benefits to
both parties.
What to expect
We will explore a live, empathic process of expanded states of consciousness to develop reflective practice for both professional and personal growth.
The setting will allow a cultivation of humility, presence and curiosity. Together we intend to create an environment where it is safe to share with radical openness and vulnerability, enabling us to gain deep insights to our psyche and supporting expanded states.
The Breathwork will be done in pairs and you will
experience both the role of “Client” and “Sitter”.
The Sitter
You will experience supporting someone as their 'sitter', through a personal process that can be powerful and unpredictable. It is possible for the 'client' to experience emotional and physical release similar to that of a psychedelic experience. You will practice noticing what comes up for you in your own process and reflecting on your decisions to at times intervene or not. Together we create a safe place of learning and we will have time to reflect on whatever arises and have the rare opportunity to have an open conversation with our ‘client’ around the similarities and differences in our processes and to explore potential transference, counter-transference, projections and activations.
The Client
In the role of ‘client’ you will be entering into your personal process, supported primarily by your ‘sitter’, overseen by experienced facilitators. You have an opportunity to experience the full presence of one-to-one support during an expanded state and to engage with the emerging content of your psyche. You will be supported to notice any resistance, avoidance or challenge that arises from entering into the unknown.
You are invited to release your cognitive process in terms of a 'professional in training' and be fully present to your personal journey.
Participants in psychedelic clinical research trials, on retreats or attending ceremonies are placing a tremendous amount of trust and faith in their therapists/sitters. When we can appreciate this from a deeply empathic place, we are better equipped to support someone through the unpredictable nature of a psychedelic experience. We can be more sensitive to particular needs and may be able to better understand ruptures that may manifest in this space when we are working with the integration process.
Experience the Healing Power of Community
Gathering as a group of professionals to explore expanded states can bond us in profound ways. We can access a group flow state and gain insights into personal healing and blocks to the creative impulse within. Our awareness can expand byond the self to touch the collective process of healing, intimacy and shared process. Finding alignment and difference between our shared processes can deepen compassion, connectedness and wellbeing.
The Commitment
This unique training will have three essential components and you are expected to attend them all.
Preparation
A 2 hour online introduction and preparation session to Breathwork for psychedelic-assisted therapy training one week before the workshop on Friday 22 November at 18.30 GMT.
In-person Experiential Workshop
Two full days of experiential and reflective practice plus beginning the process of integration 30 November & 1 December. Each day starts at 08.45 and completes at 17.30.
Integration
Online 2 hour integration circle for both professional and personal process one week after the workshop on Friday 6 December at 18.30 GMT.
Working with HSC using Breathwork has some contra-indications, so a health questionnaire will need to be completed. For some conditions adjustments to breathing techniques may be necessary.
In Essence
This embodied, reflective and experiential learning will give you the chance to gain insights into areas of potential personal and professional growth and to explore the therapeutic nature of Holotropic States of Consciousness. By allowing ourselves to open to new possibilities we have the opportunity to create cognitive flexibility and to approach this field with creativity, accountability and safety.
This training will support the learning of those thinking of entering a more formal, comprehensive training in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy, or those already in such a training. It will also help to integrate the deep processes that can surfsce in that context.
This training is not a replacement for longer trainings that include a more in-depth process of theoretical and experiential aspects. Rather, it is a step towards exploring how working in expanded states may fit and integrate into your practice and professional field.
Highly recommended is the Depth Relational Process training through the Institute of Psychedelic Therapy.
Your Facilitators
Liz and Mark met through The Institute of Psychedelic Therapy (IPT) in April 2021. Their collaboration has grown from having worked at depth and breadth in process and supervision groups and retreat settings. Both have completed the two year Depth Relational Process (psychedelic assisted therapy) training, a psychedelic assisted therapy training, offered by the IPT. They have extensive experience in facilitating groups and holding safe space for individuals to do their inner work.
The Venue
Our venue is Emerson College, Forest Row, East Sussex RH18 5JX.
Event exchange & bookings
The exchange is £345 and includes:
2hr zoom preparation
2 days workshop with refreshments throughout the day
2.5hr zoom integration
Reductions
£25 Early bird discount before July 29 2024
Your place can be reserved with a non-refundable £100 deposit.
The cancellation policy can be viewed here.
Food & Accommodation
Accommodation and meals can be purchased separately and directly with Emerson College and should be done in advance to ensure a room. Their food is vegetarian, organic and biodynamic. We highly recommend that you stay and eat onsite for a retreat style experience.
Their rate includes bed, breakfast, lunch and evening meal @ £120.50 per day for a single room with shared facilities..
Email: [email protected] Telephone: +44 (0)1342 822 238
There are various eateries in nearby Forest Row.
To Book
You can register for the event by clicking the button below: