Working with bcst and mindfulness coaching skills

Aim: to equip BCST practitioners with the skills and confidence to offer their services online as well as in person.

Background

Following the global COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, many craniosacral therapists have been considering how to shift their services online both for the benefit of their existing clients and for sustaining their own professional practice. This seminar provides a framework for holding online sessions which combine skills derived from the related worlds of BCST and professional coaching, especially mindfulness-based coaching. Applying these skills consciously, based on the needs and preferences of individual clients, creates a powerful relationship even online.

While certain precautions need to be taken to hold sessions online, there is no reason why our clients/patients cannot benefit from our services at a distance.

This seminar includes:

Creating safety when working with clients online.

Using coaching skills to help our clients shift their mindsets and work effectively with their emotions.

Encouraging clients to develop a conscious mindfulness practice.

Advanced grounding and embodiment techniques

Perceptual and discernment skills over a distance

Ethical and logistical considerations for online work

Note: Like most professional craniosacral organisations, BI considers "craniosacral therapy" to be a touch-based therapy which requires the presence of both practitioner and client in the same physical space. However, this does not prevent craniosacral therapists from using their craniosacral skills in sessions with clients online. Indeed, essential dialoguing skills as well as embodiment exercises such as WOSI, shuttling/titration and focusing are taught as an integral part of our foundational course. This PG builds on these skills and enhances perceptual awareness over a distance to give practitioners the experience and confidence to hold client sessions online.

Content:

this workshop will be conducted over Zoom, combining keynote presentations with group discussion and pair-work practice. Participants will be also be encouraged to pair up to practice what they have learnt between sessions. We will cover the following themes:

Creating safety when working with patients online.

- How to start and end an online session.

- How to hold space and create a relational field over a distance

- How to maintain presence and an ongoing dialogue with clients during the session

- Coping with technology as your means of contact during the session

Perceptual and discernment skills.

- How these skills may be affected/diminished/enhanced by the online environment.

- How to pick up on subliminal information with clients online in the absence of physical contact or visual clues.

Mindfulness coaching skills to help clients shift their mindset from dis-ease towards health.

- Understanding the five core principles of mindfulness coaching: Quality of Presence, Being the Observer, Feeling the Relationship, Providing Skilful Support, Asking Powerful Questions.

- Teaching clients how to practice the role of The Observer to step beyond their personal conditioning and transform unhelpful patterns of thinking.

- Teaching clients how to tune into and manage their emotions effectively.

- Encouraging your clients to develop and maintain a conscious mindfulness practice.

Advanced grounding and embodiment techniques.

- For you as the practitioner - all the more important without the physical presence of your client

- To share with your clients for their own practice between sessions

- Understanding the implications of wide perceptual fields on grounding and embodiment for clients online.

Ethical and logistical considerations

- Are all clients suitable for treatment online?

- Is it appropriate to treat someone with a strong trauma background online?

- Is it appropriate to work with babies and children online?

- Is it only appropriate to offer online sessions to clients you have already seen in person?

- Other logistical considerations.