This course is grounded in the evidence-supported belief that the intentional integration of multiple therapeutic modalities enhances a practitioner’s clinical flexibility, creativity, and resourcefulness—allowing for more responsive, tailored, and effective work with diverse clients.

This introductory course is part of the PIP certificate program but is open to anyone interested in the art of psychotherapy integration. Covering psychotherapy integration from a relational psychodynamic perspective, we review relevant history, basic concepts, and diverse approaches like common factors and assimilative integration. Ideas are discussed in relation to therapeutic action and the ways people change in therapy, helping students develop a coherent, disciplined integrative practice. Note that the course does not teach specific modalities (which can be learned through other PIP courses during the year), but we will discuss clinical examples along with works by leading psychoanalytic integrationists such as Bresler, Frank, Gold, Safran, Bucci, and Wachtel.

Toward Love and Symbolic Expression in the Transference

Simon Says, “You’re Still Here”: Toward Love and Symbolic Expression in the Transference

This 90-minute experiential workshop offers clinicians a healing experience of their own. Through guided visualization and meditation, participants will deepen their awareness of thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations to cultivate greater self-reflection, curiosity, and compassion. Each meditation is designed to anchor attention in present-moment experience, inviting participants to observe internal shifts as they arise.

A second visualization will guide clinicians to explore a personal or clinical impasse — a "gap" — through imaginative engagement, stimulating insight, empathy, and self-awareness. Reflective writing will follow each guided exercise to deepen individual processing and create space for group exchange. The workshop closes with an anchoring exercise, linking a positive memory to a specific body state, image, and set of words for future access.

The workshop will be co-led by two trained hypnotherapists — one grounded in Buddhist contemplative practice, the other in psychoanalytic theory — offering complementary perspectives.