TIPP is a training institute for coaches, interns and psychological assistants. We have interns in our program who are becoming certified Causal Therapists. Students who live locally to Los Angeles are able to earn certification for theory, practice and life style.

Students entering certification begin with an Entrance Ceremony. Before the ceremony they spend a significant amount of time with students who have gone before them. Some are veteran students, and some have graduated. The veterans tell them what it is like and take questions. Following the meeting, students then wait 36 hours during which they are encouraged to make phone calls to veterans with on-going questions. After 36 hours, they either decide to withdraw or commit. Those who commit are then invited to an Entrance Ceremony. Applicants can cancel their registration payment up until they complete the Entrance Ceremony.

The training teaches students to learn to think in The Theory, as if they discovered it themselves. They learn to practice The Theory like a veteran. Most of all, they learn to live the lifestyle and ethics of The Theory day to day and moment to moment in a community of practicing students. This is a hard row to hoe. Although it is immensely rewarding, the training is very difficult and is not suited for everyone. Students take the program with no guarantee that they will succeed other than their own persistence.

Beginning in 2008, we will train therapists who come from a distance for one month and certify them in Causal Therapy. Some may leave not certified, but they are welcome to return the following summer to try again. Some we will certify in theory and practice. Probably, only a few will be certified for lifestyle, as it is far easier to teach than to do.

What Will the Training Be Like?
When a student lives locally, training is the same as a client’s training to become healthy. When a student comes from out of state, training presumes they already have a license to do therapy or they are seeking internship hours. (Some states may not honor these hours as internship hours.)

This will be like a therapist boot camp of approximately ten students. Therapists will bunk together at a local hotel, in two shared suites. They will attend classes all day. Every day will probably include one relationship skills workshop (2 hours), at least one Causal Theory lecture (2 hours), at least one private therapy session (1 ½ hours), where they will do couchwork, and at least one session where they will be the therapist (1 ½ hours), and one Q & A/Supervision debriefing every day (2 hours). Students will be entitled to approximately 15 minutes of private supervision every day. Interns-students will not bunk with the client-students with whom they are doing therapy, however, because supervision will also be in a group, confidentiality will not be assured. Students have to be willing to live an open life (within reason), a prerequisite for a causal therapist
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What Will the Cost Be?
Applications are available upon request to The Institute for Professional Parenting, 28416 Constellation Road, Valencia, California 91355. The training is tentatively set for July, 2008. Applications must be requested no later than March and in by April 1. The one-month training will be $10,000. This will include lodging with kitchen facilities, but it will not include food. We hope to have student loans available by June, 2008. We will offer one full and one partial scholarship to students who write the best essay as to why they want to be granted a scholarship.

And the benefits?
We are going public at this time with the Snyder Causal Theory and Treatment (SCTT). We have an international Internet e-zine, and our CDs, DVDs, and books will be available soon, if not already. The theory will be known soon, and people from all over the country will be contacting us for a Causal Therapist in their neighborhood. Already, TIPP has people who have taken the class by video tape and who fly in from out of town for one or two weekends a month to do three-hour therapy sessions (or more) and attend one or more relationship skills workshops in the same weekend. We are already receiving requests for Causal Therapists in their area. We believe that Causal Therapists will have solid referrals in the near future, and in the meantime, we will guide you in setting up your practice.

What Does a Causal Therapist Know?

Certification as a Causal Therapist:
When the training is complete, a Causal Therapist will be certified to include Life Style or not. Those who are not certified in Life Style will be mandated to abide by the rules of the sterile frame. That is, they can practice as they were trained in graduate school. They must operate in such a way that their clients will not be privileged to model after them or to learn from their life.

A Causal Therapist Certified in Life Style:
A Causal Therapist who is certified in Life Style may not have dual relationships or wear more than one hat unless they are constructive relationships for their students. They must realize that their behavior must be exemplary at all times. That is, when they make a mistake, they self-reflect and proceed accordingly. When they have an issue with anyone, they practice relationship skills and ethics. They never exploit a relationship, and they are sensitive to the problem of projections versus perceptions at all times.

Business Practices

Causal Therapists are trained to collect payment in advance by the 25th of the previous month, before scheduling appointments. This eliminates flakiness to a great extent and encourages commitment. It also spares a Causal Therapist the stress of having to collect payment from their clients after treatment. Further, Causal Therapists are encouraged to work the first three weeks of the month and take the fourth week off. This is a good rhythm for the client, as well. Most clients will schedule twice monthly on the first and third week. Some will schedule once monthly, for maintenance. Some will schedule three times monthly (four and one-half hours over the first three weeks) in order to accelerate their work. Tapering clients may elect to come on the second week, once monthly. Interestingly, the second week usually has as many sessions as the second and fourth, as there are almost always as many early clients who want to come three times a month and terminating clients who only come once a month as there are intermediate clients who come twice monthly.

The Magic Formula:
A Causal Therapist, who is offering Causal Therapy, whether certified in Life Style or not, must practice the Magic Formula, a three-pronged approach. That is, they must provide a course in theory for their clients before they begin, private sessions will include Couch Work (or refer this work out to another Causal Therapist, intern or coach), and ongoing relationship skills workshops or couples counseling (to include the instruction in healthy relationship skills and ethics).

The Causal Theory and Treatment begins with education, to which the client is completely informed. Thus, the client is an active participant in their treatment, including assessment and diagnosis. This education in the Causal Theory will be available on live or on CDs and DVDs, to include The Manual. Therapists working out of state may sell the CDs and DVDs or may offer showings and tea (or whatever). Some may actually attempt to teach some or all of the classes. Warning, without a team to provide The Series, it can lead to severe burnout.

Then, the client partakes in extended therapy sessions, perhaps fewer than once weekly, maybe three times monthly or even less. This cuts down on driving time and emissions. We have found that more is accomplished in two one-and-one-half-hour sessions than three one-hour sessions.

All private clients must attend a relationship skills workshop which meets twice monthly. This maintains continuity through the fourth week of no private sessions. Further, while the couch work brings up old trauma or repressed feelings and releases them, couch work does not replace old bad coping habits with new healthy ones. The relationship skills workshops teach students how to have healthy relationships, assessment skills, clean fights, and ethics. Mates, friends, relatives and bosses are allowed to attend, as long as they have taken the class at least once. Fortunately, we have just released a set of CDs in which the theory is condensed to four hours. Students who do couch work, however, must take the 16-hour course first.

Franchising:
Information on franchising TIPP is available to Causal Therapists Certified in Life Style. For more information please contact the home office at 661-294-TIPP.