Chapter 1 - Aims
Introduction
The four-year training at ddif aims at enabling family therapists to apply their professional expertise theoretically and practically.
The participants shall gain practice oriented knowledge specialized for professional work as therapists in the private as well as in the public services sector.
Theory: Theoretical professional knowledge will be built up by the participants by reading and literature evaluation and as an integrated part of the training. It consists of research based knowledge in personality and developmental psychology, relation work, clinical psychology, history of psychotherapy, communicational theory and theory of the traditions of science history and the like.
Practice: The training conveys personal insights and realizations by process oriented teaching, dialogue, group work and personal therapy. The training includes therapeutic talks under direct supervision as well as working with group processes.
Theory and practice: Theory and practice will be connected by teaching units, exercises and assessing therapeutic work as well as by written tasks.
Aims of the first part of the training – the 2-year basic training
It is the aim of the basic training to teach theoretical knowledge and personal skills, which enable the participants to have a critical look on psychological problems. They will be enabled to define, analyse and interpret problems which are personality- and relation-oriented and which concern developmental psychology, with respect to a therapeutic situation or problem definition.
The following contents shall be acquired by the participants within the training:knowledge about theories in personality and developmental psychology and about relational theories
- knowledge about the history of scientific traditions
- basic practical skills in family therapy
Based on the training’s content as mentioned above skills will be schooled to enable the participants to isolate, examine, summarize and convey problem definitions of personality and developmental psychology and oriented on relations in the context of a family therapeutical practice by themselves.
After having completed the 2-year basic training the participants shall be able to lead a professional dialogue. Basic skills in family therapy, like empathy, self-reflection, establishing contact and disassociating oneself, are built up/developed/extended by ones personal professional development.
In addition, the participants shall be able to confront themselves with psychological and family therapeutic problems of their own lives as well as of the lives of their clients and they shall know about the potentials and limitations of family therapy.
Note: The 2-year basic training can be completed as an independent course. Its successful participation is a prerequisite for the admission to the 3rd and 4th year advanced training.
Aims of the second part of the training – the 3rd and 4th year advanced training
In the 3rd and 4th year’s advanced course the participants shall develop further their theoretical and practical skills as family therapists for individuals, couples and families. The skills for therapeutic work with problems of personality and developmental psychology will be built up/developed/extended in practical work, viewed from the point of the dynamics within families.
In the framework of the advanced course the participants shall learn about and develop further the following:
- knowledge about theories in personality and developmental psychology and about theories in family dynamics
- knowledge about the history of scientific traditions
- practical skills in family therapy by making practice experiences
Based on the training’s content as mentioned above skills will be schooled to enable the participants to isolate, examine, summarize and convey problem definitions of personality and developmental psychology and of family dynamics in therapeutical practice by themselves.
The participants develop their relational skills and their therapeutic practice by using dialogues with clients in a family therapeutic setting under direct supervision, by working with group processes in their training group and by indirect supervision of client dialogues.
At the same time the participants shall be able or be enabled to confront themselves with problems in their personal lives. They shall be aware of the potentials and limitations of family therapy as well as know about their personal and professional limitations and fields of development.
