Education

We offer education to the general public and to those wishing to further their understanding of Adlerian principles through our parenting workshops, courses and workshops, and certificate programs.

Parent Workshops

Our 8 week parenting group is based on the highly regarded S.T.E.P. (Systematic Training in Effective Parenting) method. The group explores strategies for dealing with the challenges of being a parent. There are separate workshops for parents of children 0-12 and teens 13-19.

Topics Covered:

  • Encouragement
  • Parenting Styles
  • Family Constellation
  • Goals of Behaviour
  • Problem Solving
  • Communication
  • Promoting Capability
  • Positive Discipline

Dreams Workshop

This workshop combines experiential and practical discussion for implementing dream work into counselling and psychotherapy practice. Together we will explore the following topics: The science and psychology of dreams; Nightmares, ‘bad dreams’, and night terrors; Dream interpretation; Adlerian approaches to dream work; and clinical uses of dreams.

Early Recollections

Early Recollections are a Counselling Intervention used to bring about insightful, specific memories in counselling and psychotherapy. These powerful memories provide therapists with an indispensable tool to facilitate deeper levels of change for client well-being and transformation. This Adlerian Intervention strategy elicits material that is highly potent and effective for therapists working from a range of modalities from CBT through to psychodynamic, existential, feminist, and other therapeutic frameworks.

Interested in a workshop?

Workshops run throughout the year. Some are offered more than once a year and others run annually or bi-annually.

See workshop dates

Courses and Certificates

We offer the possibilty of expanding knowledge at the post graduate level without having to take a full Masters program. Our highly educated and inspired faculty offer a rich Adlerian learning experience.

Introduction to Adlerian Psychology

This is an introductory 4-week course open to the general public and to Masters graduates. The course is offered by Dr. Chris Shelley and will survey the core theoretical tenets of Adlerian psychology.

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Certificate in Parent Education

The 8-week certificate program is open to those in general public who wish to offer their own S.T.E.P. Parenting Workshops and teaches the content, design, preparation and facilitation of parenting workshops.

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Introduction to Adlerian Parenting

This 2-week course may be taken on it’s own or as part of the Certificate in Parent Education Program. This course introduces the basic principles of Adlerian parenting through academic and experiential learning.

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Basic Skills in Adult Eduction & Group Dynamics/Group Facilitation Skills

This 2-week course may be taken on it’s own or as part of the Certificate in Parent Education Program. This course offers principles of Adult Education and the skills of effective group leadership and facilitation. The course covers creating and marketing groups appropriately.

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Resources

Educators

James Skinner, M.Ed., CAC, CPF

After retiring from 38 years in Public Education, Jim is now the Executive Director of the Adlerian Psychology Association of BC and has been facilitating parenting workshops for over 30 years in the Greater Vancouver area. He has also taught Adlerian Principles at the Post Graduate level, developed many of his own workshops and leads seminars in schools and workplaces. His passion lies in his holistic vision of connecting people together within the organic fabric of community, so that we have a world that requires greater cooperation, peace and the care of each other.

Chris Shelley, PhD, CAC, CCC-S

Dr. Shelley is the clinical director of The Adler Centre, a not-for-profit counselling and teaching clinic in Vancouver. He has been an Adlerian educator and therapist in both England and Canada having taught at the Institute for Individual Psychology (London), Adler School of Professional Psychology (Vancouver), and for the past decade at The University of British Columbia – lecturing in the Faculty of Arts and also the graduate program in counselling psychology. Chris is also a clinical supervisor at City University of Seattle. He is the author of various books, book chapters and journal articles in the fields of counselling, psychotherapy, theoretical psychology, and gender studies. He is also co-editor of the British Adlerian Yearbook and a contributing editor to The Journal of Individual Psychology.

Letitia Lipp, M.Ed., CPF

Letitia is an elementary school teacher by profession and has been in the public school system since 1997. In 2002 she completed her Masters in Curriculum Development and Special Education at the University of Victoria. Letitia has always been interested in parenting. In 2006, she approached Family Services of the North Shore and began working as a parent educator. Since that time, parent education has become her passion. Letitia was trained in the Positive Discipline approach to parenting, the STEP (Systematic Training in Effective Parenting) program, and in Adlerian concepts. Recently Letitia has put together the Parent Education Handbook for the Adlerian Psychology Association of BC and has taught workshops training new parent educators. She is a faculty member of The Alfred Adler Institute, Vancouver.