Course Description

Level 3 emphasizes: 1) deepening skillfulness in both individual and group facilitation; 2) learning to apply FOAT to working with different populations and needs; and 3) exploring the trainee’s personal interests in applying FOAT (psychotherapy, community, coaching, wellness, creativity, self-growth, spirituality, etc.).

The training includes a variety of learning structures.  To deepen FOAT facilitation skills, FOAT Trios (Focuser, Facilitator, Witness), FOAT Partnerships, and expressive arts methods are integrated into the training.  FOAT as a trauma-informed approach is presented, along with applications to children, adolescents, adults, and groups.  During Level 3, trainees explore their own interests in applying FOAT– creating a Learning Plan and designing a FOAT Project that can be applied in Level 4 as a Final Project for certification.  The training includes didactic material, video, readings, demonstrations, experiential practice, peer support groups, FOAT coaching, and individual supervision.

The training content is met through a variety of learning modalities, including:
FOAT Trios (Focuser, Facilitator, Witness) for deepening facilitation skills; FOAT Partnerships and FOAT Peer Support; Faculty Coaching; Expressive Arts Methods for FOAT Facilitation; Application to FOAT with children, adolescents, and adults; Application of FOAT to groups; FOAT as a Trauma-Informed Approach; Individualized Learning Plan to support the trainee’s unique interests

Target Audience: Psychologists, Psychoanalysts, Psychiatrists, Social Workers, MFTs, Counselors, Substance Abuse Counselors, Occupational Therapists, Nurses, Creative Arts Therapists, Educators. 

Location: Online via Zoom.

Date and Time:  In Level 3, there are 10 Live Group Meetings that are held via Zoom.

Dates (2024-2025): These dates are valid for the U.S.– please use the time converter to determine if the meeting dates will be the same for your timezone!

• 2024:
  • September 23
  • October 7, 21
  • November 4, 18
  • December 9
• 2025:
  • January 13, 27
    
  • February 10, 24

Time: 3:00pm - 6:30pm PT (Pacific Time) / Click here for a timezone converter

Level 3 Course Cost: 

• Early bird: Discount available through August 12, 2024
  • Pay in full: $1200. 
  • Monthly payment plan: $240/month for 5 months
• Regular Price: Valid after August 12, 2024
  
  • Pay in full: $1300
  • Monthly payment plan: $260/month for 5 months

Registration Information: To obtain CEs, you must register prior to the first Live Zoom Group Meeting on September 23, 2024. Click here to see full registration page.

Faculty:

• Laury Rappaport, Ph.D., LMFT, REAT, ATR-BC
• Doreen Meister, MA, LMFT
• Grace Brillantes-Evangelista, Ph.D., RPsy, CSCLP
• Lynn Pollock, MA, LMHC, REAT
• Marise Lariviere, LMFT, ATR, TCF

If you would like to learn more about the following faculty, please visit our FOAT Faculty webpage for their biographies.

Course Content Level: Intermediate

Agendas: The agenda for the 10 Live Zoom Group Meetings is available to registered participants.

Course Objectives

Participants will be able to:

1. Describe the significance of FOAT Trios for strengthening FOAT Facilitation skills.
2. Explain the roles in the FOAT Trio Practice: Focuser, Facilitator, and Witness.
3. List 2 challenges in facilitating Focusing-Oriented Expressive Arts.
4. Name 1 benefit of a Group Developmental Approach to expressive arts.
5. List at least 5 phases in Rappaport’s Group Developmental Model.
6. Describe the significance of attending to 3 phases within a FOAT session: warm-up, main method, and closure.
7. List at least 2 expressive arts approaches that are useful for a group warm-up.
8. List at least 2 expressive arts approaches that are useful for closure and carrying forward.
9. Identify the 3 main phases in Rappaport’s Focusing-Oriented Treatment Model for Trauma.
10. Summarize at least 2 key aspects of applying FOAT with children.
11. Summarize at least 2 key aspects of applying FOAT with adolescents.
12. Summarize 3 readings from trainee’s research on their individual interest and application of FOAT.
13. Demonstrate how to offer a Focusing-oriented response with feedback.
14. Develop a protocol for how to apply FOAT in accordance with the trainee's interest.

Satisfactory Completion for CEs: This offering is approved for 31 CE hours. Participants must have paid the Level 3 course tuition fee and CE fee, signed in and attended the entirety of the 10 Live Zoom Group Meetings, and completed the CE evaluation. Full attendance is required (there is no partial CE). 

Cancellation Policy: All refund requests are subject to review by the Focusing and Expressive Arts Institute Training Director.

• Requests made 21 days or more before the registration deadline for a given course, you will be given a refund of 95% of your registration fee (please note we take 5% for administrative/transactional fees), or the option to apply the full registration fee as credit towards your account for future program costs. 
• Requests made between 7 to 20 days before the registration deadline will be given a refund of 50% of your registration fee, or the option to apply the full registration fee as credit towards your account for future program costs. 
• Any requests made within 6 days or less before the registration deadline are non-refundable but you will be given the option to apply the full registration fee as credit towards your account for future program costs. 

Grievance Policy: For questions or concerns, please contact us at [email protected].

Disability Accommodations: To request accommodations, contact [email protected].

Disclosure Statement: There is no conflict of interest or commercial support for this program.