Next course intake commences late 2024
For course commencing March 2025 concluding November 2026
AABCAP is delighted to offer the 7th Professional Training Course in Buddhism and Psychotherapy. AABCAP invites prospective students who have clinical qualifications and experience in areas such as psychiatry, psychology, psychotherapy, counselling, or social work to apply for this inspiring two-year training. Over the course of the two years, students will come together for 10 face to face weekend training modules and 3 residential retreats. Each module and retreat is taught by an experienced multidisciplinary faculty, including psychiatrists, psychologists, psychotherapists, social workers, Buddhist nuns and monks.
Students will gain a lived understanding of:
Buddhist psychology from the perspective of the three main Buddhist traditions
The interface between Buddhist psychology and the Western psychological traditions
The social, cultural and ethical issues in the integration of Buddhism and psychotherapy
Mindfulness and its four foundations in psychotherapy
The awakening experiences of insight, compassion and equanimity
Buddhism and psychotherapy in specialised areas of therapeutic work such as body based psychotherapy, working with addictions, and supporting clients with end of life issues
The spiritual dimensions of therapy
Buddhist informed relationship therapy
The course modules offer a balance of theoretical and experiential learning, using lectures, discussion, experiential and group processes, case presentations, supervision, contemplation and meditation practices. Throughout the modules and retreats students will be instructed and supported to learn, deepen and refine personal meditation practices. The retreats in particular offer the opportunity to experience Buddhist teachings and practices taught from the paradigm of one of the three main Buddhist traditions: Theravada, Vajrayana (Tibetan) and Mahayana (Zen).
To qualify for this training course the minimum requirements are:
200 hours of basic psychotherapy/counselling training
A minimum of 3 years relevant clinical experience gained after the completion of the basic clinical qualification
At least 10 hours of clinical supervision during training
A minimum of 30 hours of clinical supervision of clinical practice
NB: Other relevant qualifications and clinical experiences are considered.
If you are in doubt whether your current experience is sufficient, please submit an Expression of Interest and the Director of Training will be in touch to discuss your eligibility.
Blended Delivery:
PTC 7 will be delivered in a blended delivery mode. This means that students enrol either as online students or as face-to-face students (with a small amount of room for change should the need arise). This is so there is predictable stability in the number of students for either mode. Please note that all retreats are offered only face to face - international students may have the option to attend a local retreat approved by the AABCAP Training Committee.
Online students need to have access to a stable internet connection and a computer equipped with a camera and microphone.
Monastic Applications
Applications are also encouraged from Buddhist monastics who wish to develop their understanding of the value of psychotherapy in the support of Buddhist practitioners.
The invitation to monastics to apply to be part of the course comes out of the wish to add their voice to the overall educational journey. Also, as monastics mostly don't have their own means to pay for the course AABCAP offers subsidised places to be supportive of the sangha.
To be considered for a monastic place on the course you need to:
have formally ordained as an 8 or 10 precept monastic or in the Bhikkhu or Bhikkhuni tradition or equivalent
be a full time monastic (or as full time as your tradition requires)
need to show a letter of support from your preceptor or the person who gave you ordination or their representative
Further details:
the monastic place is fully subsidised by AABCAP, if need be
the monastic receives a certificate of attendance upon completion, not a full graduation certificate.
the number of monastics on full scholarship is capped to 3 per course.
a monastic with a counselling/psychotherapy background has preference over one without any training in the mental health traditions.
Please note: The monastic scholarship does not include food and accommodation for the retreat periods. Monastics participating in the retreats could raise the funds needed from donors or apply to their temple/monastery for funds.
AABCAP is not in a position to sponsor overseas student visas.
AABCAP accepts dana from monastics who join our course. Dana can be in many forms - helping in the course, leading some of the meditations, closing comments for the sessions, cash, service, acts of kindness, compassion, etc. whatever is appropriate to time, place and persons.
Our Next Professional Training Course starts in March 2025 – If you would like to join us please submit an Expression of Interest. Please be sure to read the prospectus by clicking on the prospectus link below.
