Summer 2014 - Conuseling and Communication Skills

This course provides a comprehensive overview of the various theories of counseling and psychotherapy. This course is designed to critically examine the historical/theoretical frameworks that the major forms of counseling utilize. Some of the theoretical perspectives will include: (but are not limited to) Psychodynamic, Person-Centered (Humanistic), Existential, Adlerian, Behavioral, Cognitive-Behavioral, Gestalt, Multimodal, and Systems theory.

Summer 2014 - Intro. to Bipophoton Research & Biophysics Concepts

This laboratory course presents the basic concepts of electromagnetic radiation light, photons, and the electromagnetic spectrum. Sources of photons in nature and biology (biophotons) are considered. Students will learn to operate a sensitive photon counter and conduct experiments in the dark and EM-shielded room. Students will design and implement an original research project with the photon counter, keep a laboratory log book, and deliver an experiment write-up and analysis.

Part I:Laboratory Intensive (July 15-18)

Photon Detection:What are the physical processes involved in photon detection?Mechanically, how do photon counters work?How does the specific photon detection equipment at CIHS work, and how is it operated?How can we use basic physics knowledge to calibrate the detectors?What levels/fluxes of photons are we capable of detecting, and distinguishing from “noise”.Hands on calibration experiments will be conducted by the students.

Experimental Project and Biophoton Theories:Students will develop a well-posed scientific question that can be addressed using the photon detector.Students will design and implement an experimental procedure, to address their posed scientific question, and maintain a laboratory log book of the procedure, results, and analysis.

Part II:Understanding Electromagnetic Radiation, and biophotons.

Lecture/presentations, and selected reading materials (either available online or distributed in class), and tailored to the backgrounds of the students, will be covered in order to develop a working knowledge of the following:What is light?What is the electromagnetic spectrum?Why is light “quantized” as photons?How are frequency and energy of photons related?Why is the speed of light = c?Why does an attempt to understand light involve Special Relativity?What are sources of photons in nature?In popular usage, what are common uses of “light” metaphorically to the physics meaning of the word, and why should we distinguish the two types of usage?

Various theories of biophotonic processes (in humans and biology in general) will be surveyed, including postulated relation of biophoton activity with consciousness and/or meditative/yogic practice. Students will contextualize their experimental results within selected theories.

Summer 2014 - Clinical Aspects of Energy Psychology

This course will explore the expanding theoretical and clinical applications of energy psychology. The field of energy psychology utilizes mind, body, energy interventions that have been clinically shown to alleviate a range of psychological disorders by treating the human vibrational matrix, including the biofield enveloping the body, the energy vortexes or charkas and the energy pathways or meridians which incorporate increasing range of techniques from acupressure, applied kinesiology, sound vibration and pranic healing to eliminate blocks and imbalances in the body’s energy fields. Successes were initially evident in anxiety disorders, but now include depression, trauma, addictions, and some personality disorders as well as immunological challenges.

Summer 2014 - Integral Perspectives on Health

This course provides the philosophical underpinnings of Eastern holistic perspectives compared to the philosophical basis of Western medicine.

Summer 2014 - Yin Yoga

Yin Yoga has the same goals and objectives as any other school of yoga. The difference is that Yin style yoga aims to stimulate the connective tissues and the joints more than the superficial, muscular or “yang” tissues. The connective tissues can be found anywhere in the body. However, Yin Yoga generally targets the connective tissues, such as ligaments, tendons and fascia of the hips, pelvis, and lower spine as well as the joints of the body. It opens up these deep, dense, rarely touched areas. By stretching the connective tissues, Yin Yoga can condition you to sit longer, which enables you to meditate more comfortably without the pain of stiff knees or an aching back. This style of yoga is suitable for almost all levels of students. Yin Yoga is a perfect complement to the dynamic and muscular (yang) styles of yoga that emphasize internal heat and the lengthening and contracting of our muscles.

Summer 2014 - Human Development and Its Archetypes

Every culture maps the soul and its evolutionary journey through the symbolic representations and patterns of experience that emerge from the human story and the collective unconscious. These stories, symbols, and myths portray the innate structure of the psyche that underlies all human development.

Summer 2014 - Aging, Grief, and Long-term Care

This is an intermediate to advanced course about the psychological and social experience of aging. People are living decades longer than in the past, some are living into the hundreds. This course takes a holistic approach in studying biological, sociological and psychological elements of aging. The course examines methods for making shifts in various attitudes and beliefs regarding the aging process. Relationships are examined as a vital element of life. The learning includes ways for developing coping skills to help people to live longer, healthier and happier lives, developing a lifestyle of vitality, good health and a strong sense of purpose.

  1. Developing attitudes, beliefs and coping skills for living well into your hundreds with vitality, good health, and a sense of purpose.
  2. Resiliently dealing with outliving friends and family.
  3. Developing, honing, and continually updating mission, purpose, self-concept and self-esteem.
  4. Making marriage last a lifetime.

Strategies for quickly, effortlessly, and painlessly changing beliefs.

Summer 2014 - Psychology of the Chakras

This course examines the chakra system from the perspective of their effect on the four archetypes of the whole human being: mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional.In this manner, the class will be a healing and clearing journey through the chakras, in which the student will utilize the dichotomous chakra archetypes as one of several self-healing tools.Chakras are transformers of energy, but they are also transformers of consciousness into the physical dimension.The chakras are also examined as to their particular dominance in a person’s life: a given chakra may be more prevalent in an individual’s life and therefore affects the way in which one perceives reality.

Summer 2014 - Psychopharmacology

The subject of Psychopharmacology is as rich and interesting as it is controversial. A relatively new development in Western medicine, psychopharmacology is at the same time ancient in traditions such as Ayruvedic medicine. In our current moment in history we have available to us both ancient wisdom and modern innovation. As a result, mental health professionals have the challenge of learning this broad subject matter and making practical sense of it for the benefit of our patients.

In this class, doctorate level psychology students (or other doctorate level or CIHS graduate students with the Dean’s approval) will explore the impact of both western medication and alternative treatments on neurochemistry in the treatment of psychiatric disorders.In addition to providing students with a solid understanding of available psychopharmacological treatments, this course aims to prepare students for professional practice, whether as an independent practitioner or as part of an interdisciplinary team. We will use the foundational model of Integral Theory to understand how and why psychopharmacological interventions, both western and otherwise, can be a part of an effective treatment plan. Additionally, this class will address ethical and legal issues related to medication in professional practice.