Singapore University of Social Sciences

Dates: 6, 13, 20 and 27 March 2024
Level: Intermediate
Duration: 4 days (Every Wednesday, 9am to 5.30pm)
Venue: ZOOM
Minimum number to run: 10 participants (To be updated by SUSS)

Synopsis

The "Person-of-the-Therapist" (POTT) Model is based on the premise that within the therapeutic relationship is a personal process that occurs between therapist and client. The essence of the POTT training is the idea that therapists are capable of developing an expertise in how they proactively use themselves (signature themes, family-of-origin, personal/ clinical experiences) in the therapeutic process to enhance the effectiveness of their efforts.

In this synchronous online POTT training course, participants will progress through three stages during the course as they work to identify their signature theme(s) and present it to their fellow participants in a safe and supportive environment. They will also have the opportunity to gain awareness of the trigger(s) to their signature theme(s), and learn to utilize it therapeutically within the context of their role-play sessions/clinical work. Focusing on the goals of the POTT training, the master trainer/instructor will help the participants to harness their new self-understanding, insights, and behaviors to improve their therapeutic effectiveness, and gain greater mastery of themselves as "good enough" therapists.

Who Should Attend

Counsellors, psychologists, systemic therapists, social workers involved in counselling work, as well as trainee counsellors.

Topics

• Introduction to the "Person-of-the-therapist" (POTT) model and the use of self in therapy: training philosophy
• Three stages in the POTT training model
• Therapist's Inner Conversation
• Journaling in POTT
• Looking at the POTT process
• Signature theme(s) and family genogram
• About the facilitators
• Integrating POTT in your setting: applications and modifications
• POTT principles across mental health disciplines
• Interpersonal Recall Process (IRP)
• Supervision in the POTT model
  
  

Learning Outcomes

A. Knowledge and Understanding (Theory Component)

At the end of this course, participants should be able to:

• Examine the central assumptions and basic components of POTT training model.
• Appraise personal issues (signature themes) affecting clinical work and gain a familiarity, comfort with, command of these issues, and turning personal vulnerabilities into clinical assets.
• Organize what they master about themselves in active, constructive ways to assess, set goals, and intervene with clients in the clinical moment and throughout the clinical process.
  
  
  

B. Key Skills (Practical Component)

At the end of this course, participants should be able to:

• Identify their signature theme(s), confront their issues, and learn to see and work with and through their personal selves in the context of their clinical work.
• Develop the person in the role of therapist to become a more effective clinician
  both in how s/he engages a client in a therapeutic relationship, and how s/he employs the technical tools of therapy.
• Ability to actively and purposefully choose how to apply the self therapeutically in a therapist–client relationship.
  
  
  

Schedule

Assessments

• Tutor Marked Assignment
   
  

Trainer's Profile

Dr. Charles Sim, S.J., PhD., graduated from the Institute of Psychiatry, King's College, London, with a Master of Science in Family Therapy in 2002. He did his clinical training at the Department of Child and Family Psychiatry, King's College Hospital, as well as the renowned Maudsley Psychiatric Hospital in London, England.
 
Charles went on to complete his doctorate in Couple and Family Therapy at the University of Minnesota (USA), including specialized training at Minuchin Family Centre (NYC), Gottman Institute (Seattle), and Medical Family Therapy at the Medical Centre, Rochester University (USA). Charles is the master trainer/ instructor for the "Marital First Responder" (MFR) and "Person-of-the-Therapist" (POTT) training courses.  He received personal instruction from Dr. Harry Aponte at Philadelphia in 2015, and presented a research paper on "POTT Rooted in the Soil of East Asia-Singapore" at the 1st International Conference on Person of Therapist, organized by Drexel University, Philadelphia, USA, in 2018.

Charles designed and developed the Master of Counselling specializing in Couple & Family Therapy, and the Graduate Certificate & Diploma in Systemic Therapy at the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS). He has also integrated the POTT training in his teaching of the graduate courses over the past years.  Charles was the visiting consultant and clinical supervisor for family therapy at the Psychological Medicine Department, National University Hospital, Singapore. He is a clinical member of the Association of Marital and Family Therapy (Singapore), and a fellow of the Asian Academy of Family Therapy (Hong Kong).

 

Application Procedures

Please submit the following documents to cet@suss.edu.sg:

1. Coloured copy (back and front) of NRIC for Singaporeans and PRs, or "Employment"/"S" Pass for foreign applicant
   
2. Application form
   
   

Course Fee

¹ Mid-Career Enhanced Subsidy: Singaporeans aged 40 and above may enjoy subsidies up to 90% of the course fees.
² Enhanced Training Support for SMEs: SME-sponsored employees (Singaporean Citizens and PRs) aged 21 and above may enjoy subsidies up to 90% of the course fees.
³Additional subsidy for Singaporeans:  With effect from 1 January 2023, the GST rate will be revised from 7% to 8%. There will be no fee increase for Singaporeans taking SSG subsidized course(s) from 1 January to 31 December 2023.

• Participants are required to achieve at least 75% attendance, sit and pass any prescribed examinations/assessments or submit any course/project work (if any) under the course requirement.
• Participants are required to complete all surveys and feedbacks related to the course.
• The course fees are reviewed annually and may be revised. The University reserves the right to adjust the course fees without prior notice.
• Singapore University of Social Sciences reserves the right to amend and/or revise the above schedule without prior notice
  
  

For clarification, please contact the SUSS Academy via the following: