Integrative Psychomotor Therapy with Children
Training in Sofia 2022 – 2025
Manager: BAPMT, Prof. Dr. Amara R. Eckert
Lecturer: Prof. Dr. Amara R. Eckert, Prof. Dr. Holger Jessel, Dr. Alin Cotiga, Kola Brönner, Michele Kocheleff, Vania Dunkova
Support Team: Psychomotor therapists and Trainees from Sofia
Psychomotricity is the theory and practice of an inner attitude and a method that starts with the body. It is about human expression with its individual, dialogical and creative aspects and the manifold possibilities to live meaningfully and embodied in this world.
Course description
This experiential course is designed for participants, who want to work in the field of Psychomotor Therapy and be an Integrative Psychomotor Therapist for children and their families.
With a variety of psychomotor practice offerings, participants will experience different possibilities to communicate through body, movement and play.
As a prerequisite to work therapeutically with others, a psychomotor therapist needs to deepen the understanding and experience of her-/himself. She/he needs to know oneself in order to understand others and loose fear of deep and painful expressions of feelings. For this she /he should learn the practice of inner holding and “containing” for oneself and others.
Own inner growth and the development of an attitude of resonant understanding of oneself, the children and their parents are basic for this professional training.
Supervision of own practice is part of the ongoing learning process.
Competences to be acquired
– Psychomotor expertise and competence
– observe professionally
– understand children´s symbolic expression
– work with the body, movement and play
– empathy and resonance
– mirroring in play and movement
– holding and “containing” of strong emotions
– work with transference and countertransference
– mindful-based attitude in life and work
– perceive and create group processes
– engage bodily in children’s playful staging
– awareness for supportive touch
– expression of own feelings with the body in roleplay
– understand, reflect and act within the systemic context
– work with trauma and dissociation
– neurobiological expertise of early bonding and trauma
– understanding coping and defense strategies
– work with pre- and perinatal life issues
– work with violence prevention
– child care in Bulgaria
– understanding and working with family dynamics
– support of family systems in a psychomotor and counselling way
– create an atmosphere of safety and bonding, where autonomy can develop
– promote self-confidence, self-regulation, coherence and health in own lives and in those of
the target groups
– reflection of own work
– expertise in reference theories
– creating a professional conference
– lecturing of own work and theoretical background
– writing a professional scientific article
The working methods include movement, play, touch, voice, bodywork, dance, breathing methods, meditation, role play, theater, systemic and hypnotic methods, working with partners, in small groups and in open sessions within the whole group. Each workshop includes personal development, theory, lectures, supervision, demonstrations about how to use the methods. Handouts in English language are provided.
Requirements
Participants are expected to read and learn more about the subject (English and Bulgarian language) in the time between the workshops. Documentary on group-work, intervision and child observations in between the modules are required. Own psychomotor therapy work should start after the first year of training. An earlier start depends on the prerequisites of the participant.
At least five body-oriented psychotherapy sessions on personal issues that arise during the training are required.
Final examination requirements
– a case study on a child’s psychomotor therapy over a year including protocol of parents
counseling
– In the final module, the participants will present the concept of their work with
Integrative Psychomotor Therapy
– lecture on a psychomotor conference
– scientific article
Feedback on the examination work will be given individually and in the group
Certification: The certificate will be supported by Deutsche Akademie für Psychomotorik e.V., Bulgarian Association for the Development of Psychomotricity BAPMT, University of Applied Sciences in Darmstadt/G., International Society of pre- and perinatal Psychology and Medicine ISPPM e.V.,
For certification, 90% attendance is required.
Working times: Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday will be workshop dates. The modules include 1– 4 days. Working time is from 9.00 -17.00 including breaks (18 full hours per weekend/ 24 working hours). The modules 1 and 3 will include 6 (8) hours.
The working hours of the whole training consist of the teaching modules, the group meetings and intervisions, homework (reading), individual sessions, conference lecture and article writing.
Finances and payment
The costs and the payment of the modules will be calculated and managed by BAPMT.
The modules include a unique combination of theoretical foundations, diverse practical suggestions and exercises and the reflection about transfer options of what has been learned. They include Psychomotor approaches, Psychodynamic, Body Psychotherapeutic, Systemic and Trauma Theory, Pre- and Perinatal Psychotherapy and Mindfulness.
Each module contains practice, reflection and theory. Supervision will start in Module 4
Module 1
June 11th and 12th, 2022
Introduction to Psychomotricity
We start the training with experiential bodywork, play, awareness and movement. This includes dance, functional games, role play, inner and outer balance exercises, deep body perception-work and tactile experiences. The participants are encouraged to be in contact with one’s own body, to experience physical contact with others and to experience mindfulness.
Different approaches and a view to history of psychomotricity will be part of theory.
Please bring clothes for movement, a cushion and a blanket.
Module 2
July 8th to 11th 2022
Friday to Monday (4 days) 2022
Basics of Integrative Psychomotor Therapy and Inner Child dynamics
This module provides a deepening of Psychomotor Therapy and will point out the differences between Psychomotor Therapy and Educational Psychomotricity. Body-emotional resonance will be trained and participants start to work with their own topics in a psychomotor way. Basic therapy tools will be invented and trained.
The inner child dynamic in this module will be about the basic topics of safety, protection and trust. Future therapists need to explore and understand to be able to support children. We will start to learn about “containing” and “holding” by practicing it with each other.
Case supervision and observation will be introduced online after the meeting.
Please bring a photo of yourself as a child (3-6 years) on paper and a toy, you played with in your childhood.
Module 3
One day July 2022 online
Understanding Emotional- tone resonance in PPA® (Aucouturier approach)
presented by Michele Kocheleff
In this module there will be an introduction to a well-known French approach, which is founded in the seventies and eighties by Aucouturier and Lapierre. The structure and the attitudes of this Psychomotor Therapy approach will be helpful for every Psychomotor therapist.
9.00 -9.30 Introduction Aucouturier PPA®
9.30 -11.30 “Emotional”: The brain/Emotions
11.30 12.00 Questions
12.00 13.00 BREAK
13.00 -14.00 “Tone”: Tone/movement/posture
14.15 -16.00 “Resonance” : Empathy
Module 4
September 17th to 19th (Saturday to Monday) 2022
Inner Child dynamics and body psychotherapeutic based self-exploration: heart-contact, eye-contact, therapeutic touch
In this module we continue to work with the Inner Child- topics of safety, protection and trust. We go on learning about “containing” and “holding” by practicing it.
As Psychomotor Therapy uses principles of Body Psychotherapy, this subject area is going to be experienced here. It belongs to the basic attitudes of a psychomotor therapist to be connected to her-/himself which also means to be connected to one’s heart, compassion and feelings. The miracle effects of heart and eye connections, which are essential in children`s development will be experienced and their importance in early childhood will be taught. Heart and eye connections as basic part of bonding is mandatory in psychomotor work with children.
Working like this, we touch the life-needs of belonging and feeling safe again.
Body psychotherapeutic methods of mindful bodywork, heart-meditations and breathwork will be used and we will learn how to work with deep feelings and emotions.
The Theory about the body language of the heart and the eyes and Wilhelm Reich´s armoring theory as well as the Safe-Place-concept, mindfulness and resonance will be provided online after the training (4 hours).
Case – Supervision starts after this module.
Please bring a photo of yourself as a child (3-6 years) on paper and a toy, you played with in your childhood.
Module 5
October 21st to 23rd 2022
Inner Child dynamics – part 2
Aggression in a healthy way is part of connecting with others. In a more difficult way, it shows up as destruction. When we talk about aggression in daily life, we mainly mean destruction. Destruction on a personal level can be seen as a coping strategy, a trauma symptom, or a defense mechanism – according to the reference theory. Emotions behind destruction are various. We are going to experience this field of feelings and vital body expressions in this module with psychomotor and drama-therapy methods. One goal of this work is the integration of the own inner shadow and inner light parts.
Regression as an even more difficult state will also be mentioned.
Theory about Winicott´s approach to child development in general and about aggression. destruction and projection will be online (part of module 8).
Module 8 will be online and starts in November and lasts until February. 4-hour-dates on Saturdays will be announced in September.
Module 6
The dates of this module will take place consecutively during the training in 2023
Childcare in Bulgaria – working professionally on a case
By Vania Dunkova and colleagues
Psychomotor therapists are often confronted with families where daily violence is part of the upbringing. When this violence becomes a danger for the child, public authorities must be involved and become effective. If therapists are not familiar with these social casework measures, they may avoid working with difficult children and violent families out of insecurity. This module is designed to help you develop the knowledge that helping means counselling in a specific context. It aims to provide the necessary confidence in social casework and dealing with the relevant authorities in Bulgaria.
In this way you will be involved in the case and help to integrate the parts of the case.
Module 7
13th to 15th January 2023
Violence prevention
by Holger Jessel, Prof. Dr.
Description will follow by the lecturer.
Module 8
18 h online during November/ December/ January / February 2022/2023
Theory and reflection
Theory, reflection will be first on the topics of aggression, autonomy and fear and will refer to the own experiences of the modules 5 and 7.
The second topic is the observation of children, the observation of one’s own bodily and emotional resonance as well as the interaction between child and therapist.
The 3rd topic will cover defence strategies, especially transference and countertransference.
The 4th topic will give an overview of the theory of Sense-understanding Psychomotricity including its processes and methods.
Case Supervision will be included.
Module 9
Weekend (Friday to Sunday) in March 2023
(date will follow)
Neurobiological Foundations of Bonding and Trauma
By Alin Cotiga, PhD.
This workshop is primarily a theoretical workshop, but the theory will also be experienced and reflected upon in the group through exercises. The basics of this module are needed to understand and apply psychomotor trauma work with children and families.
Module 10
May 5th to 7th 2022
Fear and Autonomy
This module will provide theories around fear, autonomy and self-regulation We will experience and learn about many faces and expressions of fears in adult life and the life of children. Nearly all topics of children are based on experienced fear, which often comes together with overwhelming pain. Autonomy in a healing way, based on safety and belonging can be the way out. Fear without safety and belonging can lead to destruction. We will work with own expressions of fear and with expressions of children in movement and psychomotor play. Dealing with fear in a creative way, opens the door to self-efficacy, self-regulation in life and to cognitive learning.
We will use the practice of different levels of body-emotional mirroring in role-play-dialogues and will have an introduction to trauma-work and the prenatal perspective in Psychomotricity.
Case supervision will continue live and online.
Module 11
July 7th to 9th 2023
Family dynamics and family constellations
Co-teaching with Kola Brönner
Children usually express their family topics in Psychomotor Therapy. Psychomotor therapists can be part of a dysfunctional family system, which means, that they are not helpful for anyone. Being in this role, therapists often feel uncomfortable without realizing what´s happening. Dealing with these feelings in a conscious and reflecting way, can be useful to get out of helplessness and be supporting as a resourceful model of communication.
In this module we will have self-exploration and reflection on the topics of
– Own family constellation
– resources and secrets of own families
– Family sculptures, work with deputies and figures
– Family dynamics and communication styles in the family system
You will hear and experience about methods of working with family constellations, which help you to reflect the families of clients.
Module 12
18h online, June to September 2023
Supervision and theory
Topics are:
– Case Supervision
– Supportive and dysfunctional family systems
– Dynamics of families and the role of a Psychomotor Therapist
– Methods of communication with families
– Resource oriented and supportive counselling
Module 13
August 25th to 27th 2023
Psychomotor family work
Instead of working with kid’s groups, it can be more effective to work with whole families or parts of families in a psychomotor setting. This provides another opportunity to work with the dynamic of a family and to allow family members to experience other ways of communication and respect for each other. Psychomotor methods and play can provide a reframing of inadequate interactions between family members and undermine resistance, which is based on unconscious fear and helplessness.
Different approaches of family work in the psychomotor space will be experienced.
Module 14
October 6th to 8th 2023
Trauma theory and expression of traumatization
Co-teaching with Kola Brönner
Trauma-sensitive psychomotricity is based on three basic pillars. The first is the knowledge of the basics of trauma, trauma consequences and trauma coping strategies, the second is a trauma-sensitive and reflecting attitude, and the third is a flexible repertoire of life-topic oriented play and movement offers. These three areas will be experienced and taught in theory.
Play as a language and medium of children is usually sufficient to process traumatic experiences. We will reach a new level of professional therapeutic skills by containing traumatic experiences in ourselves and others. Useful methods of Somatic Experiencing (SE) approach by Peter Levine will be taught and included in psychomotor interaction.
You will learn how to deal with dissociation and flashbacks in movement and play and to
understand the difference between dysfunctional and healing posttraumatic play of children.
Module 15
18h online, November 2023 to May 2024
Case Supervision
Module 16
November 24th to 26th 2023
Pre- and perinatal Psychomotor Therapy 1
Co-teaching with Kola Brönner
Understanding of prenatal experiences provides a new challenge and will extend the limits of one’s own conscious and processed life experiences as a prerequisite for the perception of other´s people´s topics. You will explore about own pre- perinatal life topics as body memories by using psychomotor trauma work methods to understand the topics of children. In this way, we will deepen the ability to work with different levels of mirroring in role-play- dialogues. This first part of pre- and perinatal Psychomotor Therapy will be an introduction to the topic, that draws on the knowledge and experience of pre- and perinatal psychology.
Module 17
End of January 2024
Pre- and perinatal Psychomotor Therapy 2
Co-teaching with Kola Brönner
In this second part of pre- and perinatal Psychomotor Therapy the effect of pre- and perinatal imprints will be seen according to in different stages of life.
Deep-level understanding can clarify difficult behavior and, above all, in reflecting countertransference. This is needed to succeed in the accompaniment of pre-perinatal symbolism, since inevitably his own early life is addressed and activated.
In case-supervision we will discover new levels of understanding and responding to children´s actions.
Basics of Polyvagal Theory (Stephen Porges) will be taught.
Module 18
March 2024
Transitions in life
Parting can be seen as one of the many transitions in life. The completion of training marks the end of an intensive period of learning and development and the beginning of a new professional era. Transitions need to be managed with care, as they often bring up issues from earlier transitions in life. In our own transition we will experience this phenomenon and create rituals that help us to master transitions and especially the current transition. We will refer to farewells with children and families in Psychomotor Therapy, which themes can be reactivated in these situations and how to deal with them.
Another important part of this transition is the preparation of the theses, the planning of the scientific book publication and the final congress.
Module 19 (no payment)
May 2024
Integrative Psychomotor Therapy Conference
Module 20
Date: 14 Days after the Conference 2024
Finishing Module
Co-teaching with Holger Jessel, Prof. Dr.
In this module, the participants’ work is discussed and reflected upon, and detailed feedback is given. There will also be a detailed reflection on the congress. Since this is the last opportunity to plan the book, the final work will be done. At the end the ceremonial certificate handover takes place.
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“Therapy is first about discovering. It’s about who you are and about what your deepest emotional attitudes are. It’s not just about who you think you are. It’s not opinion…. It’s about who you are in the very heart of yourself.”
Ron Kurtz, Hakomi Founder
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Lecturers in the training
Prof. Dr. Amara R. Eckert, founder and main lecturer of the PMT-Training in Bulgaria, professor of Psychomotricity at Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences till 2017, President of ISPPM
https://isppm.ngo/wissenschaftlicher-beirat/
Prof. Dr. Holger Jessel, Graduate in mythology, professor of Psychomotricity at Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences, President of dakp, https://sozarb.h-da.de/index.php?id=824
Michele Kocheleff, Psychomotor Education Institute South Africa, https://www.peisa.org.za/
Dr. Alin Cotiga, Senior Clinical Psychologist at the Emergency University Hospital in Bucharest, Vice-President of ISPPM, https://isppm.ngo/dr-alin-cotiga/
Kola Brönner: Social worker, body psychotherapist, systemic counsellor, board member of ISPPM, https://isppm.ngo/kola-b-broenner/
Vania Dunkova, journalist, autor, psychologist MA, psychomotor therapist,
organizatior of further education in psychomotor therapy,
chairwoman of the Bulgarian Association for the development of Psychomotricity BAPMT, https://bapmt.com/ https://parentacademy.bg/sessions_category/vania-dunkova/
