The College of Mind-Body Medicine opened in August 2009, with a master’s degree and three PhD specializations (mind-body medicine practice, health care systems, and research). In addition, the College offered a 16 credit Certificate in Mind-Body Medicine, for busy professionals who were not able to dedicate the time for a degree program. This certificate included a nine credit sequence of foundation courses that include training with the Center for Mind-Body medicine. This is the same training that the Center uses in its humanitarian outreach programs in Kosovo, Gaza, Israel, Katrina areas, and Haiti.
Information on this original Certificate in Mind-Body Medicine is available on the College of MBM website at: https://dev.saybrook.edu/mbm/academicprograms/programs
At this time in May 2012, the College is introducing three new Certificates in additional mind-body practice areas. They include:
A Certificate in Health and Wellness Coaching
A Certificate in Biofeedback and Neurofeedback
A Certificate in Clinical and Applied Hypnosis
Each Certificate combines five eight-week academic courses and a final one credit course, for a total of 16 academic credits. The one credit course consists of a capstone integrative essay, conducted by a member of the faculty of the College of Mind-Body Medicine. The Coaching Certificate includes a brand new course in Advanced Health and Wellness Coaching. Each of these new Certificates also includes a three credit practicum, providing additional supervised experience in implementing the skills and interventions learned in the Certificate coursework.
The skills-set courses included in the new Certificates are designed to prepare the graduates to pursue national certifications. The biofeedback coursework follows the “blueprint of knowledge” of the Biofeedback Certification International Alliance (BCIA), and provides enough didactic hours of teaching and enough supervision/mentoring hours to qualify the student for BCIA certification in general biofeedback. (BCIA also requires a course in anatomy and physiology and an exam).
The hypnosis coursework follows the teaching guidelines of the American Society for Clinical Hypnosis (ASCH), provides the necessary didactic and supervision hours, and satisfies most of the requirements to qualify for ASCH certification for health care professionals, or for the academic and research oriented certification of the Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis.
The coaching course sequence trains students in all of the International Coaching Federation (ICF) core coaching competencies and the ICF code of ethics. It will provide students with education and supervised hours that they can apply toward the ICF ACC portfolio certification process and/or toward the BCC (Board Certified Coach) certification.
Degree students in the College of Mind-Body Medicine already take many of the courses included in these certificates. They may need to take some courses as part of their elective requirements, or as add-ons to their degree programs. The one credit capstone course is an add-on for all College of MBM students. (Courses outside an academic degree program are not eligible for federal financial aid.)
All non-degree, LIOS, and College of PHS students will be enrolled throughout the program in a one credit course that includes an MBM certificate graduate colloquium and the capstone essay. This assures students a mentoring process to guide their studies throughout the Certificate program.
All coursework in the Certificate programs provides academic credit. These credits are transferable toward a degree program, in event the student decides to pursue a master’s or PhD program in the College of Mind-Body Medicine.