#180 Basic Certification

This class has been obsoleted in the new curriculum. The replacement class is course #170 at http://www.peakstates.com/170.html



Course #180: Basic Peak States Certification - Professional Training
Revision 1.7, June 17, 2008


Certification occurs usually some months after the therapist graduates from the Basic PeakStates training, in order to build proficiency on themselves. The usual time is about 6 months.

There is no guarantee that you will become certified after taking the Basic class - we test for competence in using the techniques that you've learned.

If you are a graduate of Basic PeakStates training and you intend to become certified, please let us know by contacting us at Support email.

A simple, step-by-step checklist for certification (Revision 1.0, PDF, June 19, 2008)
This PDF document gives a brief, step-by-step checklist of requirements for students who intend to become certified by the Institute.

Detailed Steps for Basic Certification (Revision 1.4a, PDF file, 208kB)
This PDF document gives the reasons for our requirements for certification, and describes the curriculum requirements, benefits and obligations of basic certification, and student's scope of practice as text and as summary tables.

Summary of Requirements for Basic Certification
● Crisis intervention training (with suicide intervention) or Suicide Intervention training
● Recognizing mental illness training (DSM-4)
● Training in recognizing and treating spiritual emergencies (coursework only)
● Valid legal licensing in the area that you practice
● Liability insurance for your practice
● Demonstration of skill for an Institute certification person
● Follow ethical behavior and safety guidelines as set by the Institute
● A written examination
● A minimum of 20% Brain Light peak state

We accept appropriate equivalent training to meet these requirements (with approval by the certifier).

There is a $100US annual fee for certification from the Institute for the Study of Peak States. We also require that the therapist remain updated on the latest material from the Institute (since the field is changing so rapidly). Thus, we re-certify at a regular interval to be sure our conditions for certification continue to be met. This entitles you to become listed on the website, have licensed access to Gaia music (and other material as it becomes available), and get support for your clients from more advanced Institute certified healers. We also have a 'charge for results' fee structure for clients as standard practice.

Recommended but not required

  • Standard First Aid certificate - useful for therapists, to be able to discriminate between heart attack symptoms (or other acute medical problems) and client regression symptoms.
  • Sexual Abuse Training - this is specifically for therapists who intend to either work in this field, or to meet the sexual abuse 'scope of practice' requirements of the Institute, and is ethically required for therapists who plan on working with this client group. In the USA, we highly recommend the Bradock Body Process Training for Professionals Working with Sexual Trauma: Specific Tools for Self Care. Ojai, California. 805-640-3744. www.braddockbodyprocess.com.

Classwork
Practical experience working with clients using power therapies and peak state techniques is needed for competence. This can be done by mentoring or in a class. Obviously, specialized conventional training is also required for specific client groups: sexual abuse, domestic violence, addictions, mental illness, etc.

Required Spiritual Emergency Coursework
This requirement can be met by taking a web based course or by reading and taking a test.
  • The web based course "DSM-IV Religious and Spiritual Problems" is at www.spiritual-emergency.com. The textbook is Stanislav Grof's Spiritual Emergencies. Recommended but not required is the course "Ethical Issues in Spiritual Assessment".
  • Alternatively, the required reading is Stanislav Grof's Spiritual Emergency and Emma Bragdon's A Sourcebook for Helping People with Spiritual Problems. Recommended reading is Grof's The Stormy Search for the Self, Bragdon's The Call of Spiritual Emergency, and Yvonne Kason's A Further Shore: How Near Death and Other Extraordinary Experiences Can Change Ordinary Lives.


Contacts for Suicide Training Classes
In Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway, UK and the USA we highly recommend the two day "Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training" (ASIST) workshop to meet our certification requirement about certification. It has proved excellent, being a type of 'suicide first aid' course. Information is available at www.livingworks.net, with a list of upcoming dates at www.livingworks.net/AS.php.
  • In Australia, see www.livingworks.org.au. ASIST is often offered through Life Line, which lists contacts in each area at www.lifeline.org.au, at approximately $175AU. You might also want to contact Choose Life Support (CLS) at 1300 132098.
  • In Scotland, ASIST schedule can be found at www.chooselife.net/Training/InYourArea/InYourAreaMap.asp.
  • In the UK and Wales, go to www.asistcommunities.co.uk; or contact the ASIST Project Manager Alan Briscoe at 01654 702759 or 07525 933815, or email him at a.briscoe at mind.org.uk.
  • In the USA, go to www.pesi.com for information on other suicide training classes. Locations have included Charleston WV, Cincinnati OH, and Columbus OH.


Contacts for Mental Illness Training Classes
  • In the USA, a one day class called 'Emergency Mental Health: Assessment and Treatment is available in Columbus, Cleaveland, and Canton (approximately $149US). It meets both the crisis and suicide requirements for certification. The sponsoring company is Cross Country Education at 1-800-397-0180, at www.crosscountryeducation.com.
  • In Australia, www.mhfa.com.au gives a two day course in 'mental health first aid' (approximately $120AU includes manual). The Red Cross also runs mental health workshops, www.redcross.org.au. You might also contact the Mental Services help line at 1800 332388.
  • In the UK, go to www.mentalhealthfirstaid.csip.org.uk - a two day course in 'mental health first aid'.


Sources for Insurance for WHH practitioners
  • In Australia, insurance for breathworkers OAMPS now covers WHH.
  • In Germany, insurance is available via an energy therapist organization, Berufshaftpflichtversicherung für Energetiker und ähnliche Berufe, www.basler-securitas.de.
  • In Austria, insurance is available via Rechtsschutzversicherung für Energetiker und ähnliche Berufe, www.gasler.co.at.
  • In Switzerland, insurance is available via Betriebsunterbrechnungsversicherung für Energetiker und ähnliche Berufe, www.baloise.ch.
  • In Canada, we're negotiating with an insurance company called Preventative Health, wwwpreventativehealthservices.com. They are willing to insure WHH, but require a minimum number of practitioners enrolled, which is a problem for us. We'll update when we know more.
  • In the USA, consider using the American Professional Agency Inc. at www.americanprofessional.com. This insurer works with the AIWP, the religious organization that we are licensed by in the USA.


Information for Certified Therapists
Course length
1 day exam

Prerequisites
Completed courses #110, 120

Note to students who are currently being certified (course #180):
You do not have to take any of the new classes if you were taught using the old format from #110 (WHH) and #120 (PeakStates). Certification requirements from course #180 remain the same. The new courses are only for new students.


Revision History
1.8 July 7, 2008. Deleted unnecessary Certified Therapist downloadable files.
1.7 June 17, 2008. Added the simple checklist for certification document.
1.6 December 13, 2007. Slightly revised the 'Client Liability Agreement' to Rev 1.2.
1.5. November 24, 2007. Added the 'Client Brochure Revision 1.8', and the 'Client Liability Agreement Revision 1.1', and 'How to Charge for Results Revision 2.1'.
1.4. October 20, 2007. Added a link to the Braddock Sexual Abuse Training.
1.3 October 16, 2007. Added a pdf of the Provisional Basic Certification License, revision 3.4
1.2 June 11, 2007. Clarified a section of the Basic Certification pdf document. Added a web based course as an alternative to reading and an exam for the spiritual emergency requirement.
1.1 January 20, 2007.