Dates: 3 Days: Friday, October 19 – Sunday, October 21; 10:00am – 5:00pm
Sliding Scale: $225 – 600. Code RD1M18.
18 CE credits available for $180 for psychologists and California licensed MFTs, LCSWs, LEPs, LPCCs, nurses, and chiropractors.

Joy is more than a feeling. It is a state of being that has room for things that we don’t consider so joyful: sadness, self-loathing, anxiety, anger, regret. Self-love is more than deeming ourselves “good enough,” worthy, and lovable; it is a condition of the heart that knows how to embrace our experience of ourselves unconditionally. Presence is more than merely paying attention, it is an experience drenched in empathy, warmth, and humor.

Blending the insights of neuroscience, Tibetan Buddhism, psychoanalysis, and Internal Family Systems therapy; this will be a weekend of deep practice, lively discussion, and emotional resolution.

We will also celebrate the pre-release of Ralph’s book The Monkey is the Messenger: Meditation and What Your Busy Mind is Trying to Tell You (Shambhala Publications). Advance copies will be on hand for sale, and a book signing will be held.

Teachings are appropriate for health care professionals as well as the general public. Health care professionals will be able to incorporate the tools and practices offered in this program in ways beneficial to clients or patients. Continuing Education (CE) credit available. See below for attendance requirements and more information.

Learning Objectives for participating health care professionals-
Based on the content of this program, you will be able to:

• • Utilize, and describe to clients, mindfulness based breathing techniques for calming anxiety and emotional fatigue, and prevent vicarious trauma when working with clients;
  • Utilize “Urge Surfing”, an evidence based technique (via Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) for working appropriately with strong emotions in ways that improve patient care;
  • Describe the psychodynamic theory on the etiologies of neurosis and pathology;
  • Describe why the human psyche is organized around painful experiences;
  • Describe how the human psyche is oriented to healing in spite of the organization around painful experiences;
  • Describe how unconscious beliefs are formed;
  • Describe how unconscious beliefs create repetitive emotional, behavioral, and interpersonal patterns;
  • Describe the adaptive, evolutionary function of emotional, behavioral, and interpersonal patterns;
  • Identify repetitive emotional, behavioral, and interpersonal patterns in clients and address them more proactively;
  • Describe skills of attunement and attending to clients and what “the holding environment” (D. Winnicott) is;
  • Describe the fundamental view of “parts work” from Internal Family Systems therapy;
  • Describe the neurological basis of Abraham Maslow’s “Hierarchy of Needs”.

Young Adults (18-26) and Seniors (65+ with limited income) are invited to attend this program for $135 ($45/day).