Sophia College operates from locations in Brunswick, Perth, Melbourne, Byron Bay and Brisbane. The primary office is at 13 Mc Andrew St, Brunswick WA 6224, Western Australia.

All enquiries regarding the college in Australia should be made to:

Admin Phone/Fax: 08 9726 1505
Teaching staff phone: 08 9726 1504
Postal Address: 13 Mc Andrew St., Brunswick WA 6224
Email: info@sophiacollege.com
Web site: www.sophiacollege.com

The awards in Buddhist Psychotherapy and Counselling are designed to meet the needs of those working in the human and health services, psychotherapists and psychologists interested in deepening their understanding of the holistic science of the human mind from a Buddhist perspective.

The Diploma in Buddhist Psychotherapy comprises of six units that can be completed over the period of one year. The Graduate Diploma offers 8 units over a 2 year period. Each unit will run for a period of three intensive days, except for the units in the Diploma, which are offered as external studies. The Diploma in Buddhist Psychotherapy is available to anyone who is interested in Buddhist studies and the working of the human mind. The diploma provides the foundation year of studies for those wishing to train to work in the mental health area as Buddhist Counsellors and who will then need to complete the Advanced Diploma that is the professional year of qualifications.

COURSE STRUCTURES

A. DIPLOMA IN BUDDHIST COUNSELLING

The course is comprised of 6 core modules. These are ( BPS 1101 ) Introduction to Buddhist Psychology, ( BPS 1102 ) the Mind and its Dynamics, ( BPS 1103 ) Relationships between Thinking and Feelings in Buddhist Psychology, ( BPS 1104 ) Mind and Phenomena Causality: Karma and Ethics, ( BPS 1105 ) Self / non-self in Buddhist psychology, ( BPS 1106 ) Inter-being and Interconnectedness in the Buddhist Psychology.

MODULE CONTENT

1. Introduction to Buddhist Psychology (BPS 110 30hrs)
This elucidates the wheel of life as a basic Buddhist model for the creation and continuation of mental suffering. An overview of the contemporary field of Buddhist psychology and an introduction to the work of various contemporary Buddhist psychotherapists.

2. The mind and its dynamics in Buddhist Psychology (BPS1102 30 hrs)
An elucidation of the Buddhist science of the mind and mental processes. The role of thinking in the origin and cessation of suffering, as well as the types of and forms of thought as classified in the Abhidharma, the definitive Buddhist text on metaphysics.

3. Relationships between thinking and feelings in Buddhist Psychology (BPS 1103 30hrs)
An exploration of the relationship between common feelings such as anger, hatred, greed, jealousy, grief, joy, desire and the associated patterns of thinking.

4. Mind and Phenomena Causality: Karma and ethics (BPS 1104 30hrs)
This unit explores the Buddhist teaching on karma, the natural law of cause and effect, its definition and functioning as a basis for personal and professional ethics, decision-making and responsibility.

5. Self/Non-self in Buddhist Psychology (BPS 1105 30hrs)
The elucidation of the Buddhist notion of non-self and the comparative relationship with the notion of self that is central to much of western psychological models. The implications of the notion of self and of non-self are examined in their place in the therapeutic context as well as in personal Buddhist practice.

6 Interbeing and Interconnectedness in the Buddhist Psychology (BPS 1106 30 hrs)
This unit explores the influence of the Buddhist model of co-dependent arising with the notion of interconnectedness of all energetic systems. It outlines the contribution of Buddhist psychology to the development of trans-personal psychology through its core notions of non-self and inter-being.

B. GRADUATE DIPLOMA
Mind in Buddhist psychology: Stress management (BPS 4101)
Burnout, chronic fatigue, workplace stress and stress related illnesses are symptoms of the personal and social mind in overdrive. Learn about the “monkey mind” in Buddhist psychology and how to tame it so that stress can be managed effectively. The focus is upon mindfulness practices in psychotherapy applied to your personal life and to the client’s issues in therapy.

Thinking and feeling in Buddhist Psychology: Pain management (BPS4102)
Chronic physical pain and mental anguish are endemic in the 21st century. Buddhist psychotherapy provides means for managing physical and mental pain through gaining an insight into the relationship between mind and bodily processes and the associated unskilful and skilful patterns of thinking. The role of breath as a mediator between thoughts and feelings will be elucidated to provide deep knowledge for the skilful management of chronic pain.

Meditation in Buddhist Psychotherapy: Breath and mental health (BPS 4103)
The role of a range of experiential meditation practices drawn from the Theravada, (Burmese and Thai), and Mahayana (Chan, Zen and Tibetan) are elucidated and their applications to manage common feelings such as anger, hatred, greed, and jealousy explored.

Mind, Phenomena causality and karma: Palliative care (BPS 4104)
The Buddhist understanding of karma, intentionality and co-dependent arising frame the exploration of personal and professional ethics in counselling, particularly in palliative care. Insight into the deeper issues of human suffering and release there form are considered.

Self/non-self in Buddhist Psychology: Narcissism versus Compassion mind (BPS 4105)
Understanding the mind that drives narcissism and how to create its antidote of compassion mind is at the heart of the dialogues between the self of western psychology and the non-self of eastern psychology. Acquire personal and therapeutic practices to identify the tension and support the movement to compassion mind.

Mind/Body relationship in Buddhist Psychotherapy: Psychosomatics (BPS 4106)
At the heart of Buddhist psychology is the relationship between thinking processes and the resultant impacts on the physical body and the role of breath as the meditator between thinking and bodily experience. Here one understands how contractions in breathing result in bodily illnesses and specific practices are applied to break through these blocks and create mental and physical well being.

The Psychotherapeutic encounter: Mindful Recovery from Addiction (BPS 4107)
Here insight is developed through particular practices to cultivate a mindful listening space, to move from mental attachments and cravings and their associated projections to a space of freedom where one can be fully present in the present moment. The client therapist encounter and issues of transference and countertransference are also explored within the Buddhist framework with a focus on working with addictive behaviours.

Mind and Transitions: Grief and loss in life and death (BPS 4108)
Change in our work, family and personal lives as well as environmental and planetary produces mental states of attachment, anguish and grief and loss which result in considerable mental dis-ease and sometimes depression. Learn the Buddhist practices for freeing the mind from theses states of clinging and attachment to permanence.