Training in bioenergetic analysis

The ACSBA is collaborating with the Massachusetts Society for Bioenergetic Analysis to provide in-depth training in the theory and practice of bioenergetic analysis following the curriculum of the International Institute for Bioenergetic Analysis (IIBA). Certification as a Bioenergetic Therapist is available from the IIBA to mental health professionals who successfully complete the training program and meet requirements for personal bioenergetic therapy and supervision.

The training includes both didactic and experiential teaching methods, along with relevant readings, discussions, and extensive group work. The goal of the latter is to foster both personal and professional growth by expanding self-awareness, self-acceptance, and vitality. We gain an understanding of how our history has shaped our present, how our character structures came to be, how we can decrease our fears and energetic blocks, and thus how we can move towards becoming the therapists we strive to be. Ultimately, as bioenergetic therapists, our bodily experience and our personal development guide our work. We place a strong emphasis on individual therapy, both in the group and with a personal therapist.

The bioenergetic training program consists of 80 contact days spread over four years. It operates on a one-room schoolhouse model with trainees from multiple years frequently learning together. 

The exact dates and fees for the 2023-24 training year will be announced in early spring. The approximate dates are as follows:

- Mid October: in person at Shilo Farm, 88 Beech Road, Eliot, Maine

- Early December: in person at Shilo Farm

- Mid January: online via Zoom

- Early March: online via Zoom

- Mid April: in person at Essex Woods Meeting Retreat Center, Essex, Massachusetts

- Early June: in person at Shilo Farm

In-person weekends are from Thursday morning to Sunday midday. Online weekends are Friday evenings and full days on Saturday and Sunday. One additional small-group meeting is usually required between sessions and is scheduled by trainees.

Applications for this program are now open. The training is open to therapists, other professionals, and to those seeking personal growth. There are a limited number of openings. Apply now at https://www.massbioenergetics.org/training 

If you find yourself interested in the program but are unable to commit to it this year, consider taking our online Sunday-morning series Cultivating Vitality: An Introduction to Bioenergetics. See the Current Events section for details.

For more information, contact the ACSBA at AtlanticCanadaBio@gmail.com