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There are at least 5 separate, potentially overlapping ways to do this. (1) ASD TRAINING FOR MEMBERS & CONFERENCE
ATTENDEES: Attending ASD events,
(both international and regional), where increasingly training in various
techniques and philosophies of dream work and dream exploration are being
offered. At some point, it is very likely that these "trainings"
will be woven together administratively and turned into some sort of
"certificate" program. (It's not fully in place yet, but just
recently at the ASD Board sessions at UC Santa Cruz, on 7/12/01, the Board
passed the first set of "general guidelines" for establishing such
training programs, and the application of those guidelines is already under
way.) (2) UNIVERSITY AND INDEPENDENT ACADEMIC
INSTITUTE PROGRAMS IN DREAM STUDIES: (C) The Haden Institute, in Charlotte, North Carolina, offers a 2 year program in "Dream Leader Training". It also meets in week-long and week-end intensives. Some of their classes are offered in Charlotte, and others are offered in the Episcopalian retreat center, Kanuga, in the mountains near Hendersonville, NC. Check them out on the web at http://www.hadeninstitute.com/ (D) Clearly this kind of program is "an idea whose time has come", and there are other new programs springing up in Canada, Mexico, and other parts of the U.S. on an almost seasonal rhythm. Check back in here to keep apprised of developments as they break... (3) Another "alternative" to
the "professional psychology" route is MINISTERIAL/
CHAPLAINCY / SPIRITUAL DIRECTION TRAINING. More and more traditional
denominational seminaries and spiritual direction programs are offering
courses in practical dream work as part of their regular studies. Check
the seminaries of your denomination, and the "interfaith" seminaries in
your geographic area. These course offerings vary wildly from semester to
semester and year to year. (4) HYPNOTHERAPY TRAINING: although most hypnotherapy training programs do not offer specific training in working with dreams, some of them do. It is the easiest, least expensive, and most quickly accomplished professional "therapy license" granted in California, and many other States and Territories as well. It usually takes about 6 months to complete the training and receive the license. Once a hypnotherapy license has been acquired, it can be used to "cover" work with dreams, particularly if the work includes light trance work, (to say nothing of the job opportunities in the weight-loss and smoke-addiction-recovery industries...) (5) SIMPLE (LEGAL) ORDINATION: The Church of Universal Life, Modesto, California, founded by the Kirby Hensley, has established the fundamental legality of their "mail order" ordinations. The "practice of religion" is CONSTITUTIONALLY PROTECTED in the U.S., and that means that practicing one-to-one dream work and dream group facilitation under the "umbrella" of a CUL ordination is completely legal. The CUL Minister is limited in what language can be used in promotional materials, (one may not use the word "Therapy" or Therapist" - unless one also has a license, say, as a hypnotherapist - but words like "Consultation", Facilitation", "Coaching", Dream Worker", etc. may all be used freely.) ANY AND ALL OF THESE "ALTERNATIVES" TO TRADITIONAL PROFESSIONAL ACADEMIC PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAINING CAN BE "MIXED & MATCHED" TO SUIT THE NEEDS AND DESIRES OF THE INDIVIDUAL WHO WISHES TO BECOME A DREAM WORKER AND LEGALLY CHARGE MONEY FOR HIS/HER WORK. Respectfully submitted, [Author of DREAM WORK, (Paulist Press, Mahwah, 1983), WHERE PEOPLE FLY & WATER RUNS UP HILL, (Warner Books, New York, 1992), and THE LIVING LABYRINTH, (Paulist Press, 1998), co-founder and past president of the international Association for the Study of Dreams] |