Mastery Program
Taught By Dr. Todd Pressman
Worth 30 CE Credits
Q&A Throughout: Opportunity for Follow-up Supervision
Live On Zoom
Duration: 39 Hours of Training
December 5-7, 12-14, and 19
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT THE MASTERY PROGRAM
Mastery Program
3 monthly payments of $333 or 1 payment of $999
The Mastery Program takes the practices of the “Deconstructing Anxiety” method to a highly advanced level. Participants practice with each other and with the facilitator, who will provide close supervision each step of the way. You can expect to become truly skillful with the exercises and the potential resistances that can arise, and master the continuity of the program as a whole. Unlike the Deconstructing Anxiety Intensive (which is a pre-requisite for this program), we will not spend much time on theory but will focus almost exclusively on rigorous practice, working the exercises over and over until a high level of proficiency, fluency and technical precision is achieved.
In this program, you will become trained to hone in on the exact moment where defensiveness is applied and help yourself and others “do the opposite”, including when a defense would interfere with the exercise itself.
As a result, you will become skillful enough with the exercises to perform them very quickly and with a high degree of success, so that they become second nature. As confidence grows, you will become increasingly adept in your ability to transform your (or your clients’) perception of circumstances into one that promotes peace, fulfillment and the freedom to choose your response.
Other highlights include:
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Discovering the extraordinary sense of Flow that occurs when we let go the defense of trying to “fix what’s wrong”, allowing our higher sense of Self to move through us fluidly and effortlessly. Synchronous events can occur to open up opportunities to express our purpose and fulfillment, according to this new strategy for how to make a difference in the world.
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Becoming highly sensitive to the subtlest movements of the Nexus point—”the seat of emotions and the seat of the Self”—where we can watch the first moments of resistance arising and generating our perception of the world “out there”…to then choose a different experience.
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Appreciating what it really means that ONLY resistance creates suffering and, in fact, that resistance IS suffering.
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Becoming skillful at using the all-important principle that fear, by definition, distorts awareness of higher truth, to discover that a transcendent truth is not only possible but inevitable.
PLEASE NOTE: After the completion of the Mastery Program, you will be finished with the formal program and can receive the CE credits if interested (see CE Credits section below).
IF INTERESTED IN EARNING THE CERTIFICATION, participants must schedule (at a mutually convenient time) half-hour private sessions with Dr. Pressman, so he can assess your skill level. The cost for these sessions is $90 per half hour. Certification is given once Dr. Pressman can determine from these follow-up sessions that you are fully proficient and qualified to add to your resume that you are now a certified Deconstructing Anxiety practitioner! You can also be added to the Certified Practitioners page of this website.
AGENDA & SCHEDULE
ALL TIMES GIVEN ARE EASTERN STANDARD TIME
Pre-Seminar Evening: Thursday
6:30-7:45 p.m.—Exercise for Setting Intentions
7:45-8:00 p.m.—Break
8:00-9:15 p.m.—Exercise for Setting Intentions (continued)
9:15-9:30 p.m.—Explanation of Homework Assignment
Day 1: Friday
11:00 a.m. -11:30 a.m.—Introduction
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.–Overview of the “Deconstructing Anxiety” Model
12:30-12:45 p.m.–Break
12:45-1:30 p.m.–Exercise–“Digging for Gold”: Finding Your Core Fear
1:30-2:30 p.m.–Exercise–“Who Are you Really?”: Finding Your Chief Defense
2:30-3:15 p.m.–Q and A
3:15-3:30 p.m.—Break
3:30-5:00 p.m.–Practice of Core Fear and Chief Defense exercises
5:00-6:15 p.m.—Q & A
6:16-6:30 p.m.—Explanation of Homework Assignments
Day 2: Saturday
11:00 a.m -12:30 p.m.—Review of Homework with Q & A
12:30-1:00 p.m.—Three Ways of “Doing the Opposite of the Chief Defense”
1:00-1:15 p.m.—Break
1:15-3:45 p.m.–Exercise–“The Alchemist”: Asking “What Happens Next?” 3:45-4:00 p.m.–Break 4:00-4:15 p.m.–Q and A
4:15-5:15 p.m.–Exercise—“The Witness”: Enhanced Mindfulness Practice
5:15-5:30 p.m.–Building a New Association to One’s Core Fear
5:30-6:15 p.m.–Q and A
6:15-6:30 p.m.—Explanation of Homework Assignments
Mid-Workshop Session: Thursday
6:30-7:45 p.m.—Review of Homework and Q&A
7:45 – 8:00 p.m.—Break
8:00-9:30 p.m.—Review of Homework and Q&A (continued)
Day 3: Friday
11:00 a.m.-12:15 p.m.–Review of Homework
12:15-1:30 p.m..–In-class practice of “The Alchemist”
1:30-1:45 p.m.—Break
1:45-2:45 p.m.—In-class Practice of “The Witness”
2:45-3:15 p.m.–Integrating the results into Everyday Life; Building the Association
3:15-3:45 p.m.—Break
3:45 p.m.-5:00 p.m.—Exercise—“The Warrior’s Stance”
5:00-5:45 p.m..—Integrating the Warrior’s Stance into Everyday Life; Building the Association
5:45-6:15 p.m.—Q&A
6:15-6:30 p.m.—Explanation of Homework Assignments
Day 4: Saturday
11:00-12:15 p.m.–Review of Homework
12:15-1:15 p.m.–Exercise—“Releasing the Resistance to Resistance—Part 1”
1:15-1:30 p.m.–Break
1:30-2:15 p.m.—“Releasing the Resistance to Resistance—Part 2″
2:15-3:00 p.m.–Integrating All of the Exercises; Building the Association
3:00-3:15 p.m.—Break
3:15-4:45 p.m.—Exercise—“Vision Questing: Finding One’s ‘Mighty Purpose’”
4:45-5:30 p.m.—Advanced Practice of the Vision Quest
5:30-6:15 p.m.—Q&A
6:15-6:30 p.m.—Explanation of Homework Assignments
Follow-up Session, Thursday
6:30-7:15 p.m.—New Developments in the Deconstructing Anxiety Model
7:15–8:00 p.m.—Sharing of Vision Quests (Review of Homework)
8:00-8:15 p.m.—Break
8:15-9:15 p.m.–Sharing of Vision Quests (Review of Homework)
9:15-9:30 p.m.—Keeping the Vision Quest Alive
The Mastery Program takes the practices of the “Deconstructing Anxiety” method to a highly advanced level. We will work intensively on mastering each of the techniques, both in applying them for ourselves and our clients.
December 5-7, 12-14, and 19
CE Registration (SEPARATE REGISTRATION)
Who this seminar is for:
Anyone interested in deep personal healing, growth and fulfillment
- Psychologists
- Social Workers
- Therapists
- Counselors
CE Credits Information
THIS SEMINAR GIVES 30 CE CREDITS FOR QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.
The CE Credits are only for those who apply for them. For information on CE credits, click the button below.
IMPORTANT NOTE: CE credits for this seminar are paid for and processed separately from registration for the seminar itself. The fee for the seminar is $999 and must be paid separately from the fee for CE credits if you are applying for them.
Please note: CE’s are provided through a 3rd party CE provider. It is your responsibility to (1) ensure your accrediting board approves the CE’s for this seminar and (2) to keep track of the instructions for obtaining your CE certificate. Please do not contact Dr. Todd Pressman/Pressman Seminars on how to obtain your CE’s as we are not CE providers and unable to answer questions related to CE’s.
Please do not contact the CE company with questions about the seminar. All seminar-related questions should be sent to admin@toddpressman.com.
Questions related to CE credits should be sent to info@htilearn.com
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1) Our greatest drive is for fulfillment but fear requires we make sure we are safe first
2) To find fulfillment, we must deconstruct our fear (anxiety) to the core fear
3) The chief defense is meant to protect us from our core fear but actually maintains and exacerbates it
4) To resolve anxiety, one must “do the opposite” of the chief defense, thereby exposing oneself to the correct (core) fear
5) There are three ways to “do the opposite” of the chief defense
6) The exercises of Deconstructing Anxiety are comprised of highly effective tools for “doing the opposite” to resolve the core fear
As a result of this program, participants will be able to:
1) Describe the coherent structure of the Deconstructing Anxiety Model
2) Interpret the principle that “only resistance creates suffering”
3) Explain why fear necessarily distorts objective truth
4) Describe the three postulates of the Deconstructing Anxiety model effectively with clients
5) Summarize the core fear/chief defense theory of Deconstructing Anxiety
6) Specify how the core fear and chief defense dynamic create a personality
7) Trace the three stages of personality development according to the Deconstructing Anxiety model
8) Distinguish the three ways of “doing the opposite” of the chief defense
9) Utilize the exercise for “Finding the Core Fear”
10) Apply the exercise for “Finding the Chief Defense”
11) Practice the Deconstructing Anxiety exercises for resolving the core fear.
12) Interpret why the “resisting resistance” exercises are called “the final defense”
13) Organize the process of “Vision Questing” for clients
14) Trace the origins of anxiety to the Nexus Point
15) Identify networks of support for clients to aid in the Vision Questing process
16) Integrate the “field of enlightenment” into the Vision Questing process
Please note: CE’s are provided through a 3rd party CE provider. It is your responsibility to (1) ensure your accrediting board approves the CE’s for this seminar and (2) to keep track of the instructions for obtaining your CE certificate. Please do not contact Dr. Todd Pressman/Pressman Seminars on how to obtain your CE’s as we are not CE providers and unable to answer questions related to CE’s.
Tuition: 3 monthly payments of $333 or 1 payment of $999
Partial scholarships are available for those with demonstrated need. Please use the Contact Us link below to inquire.
The Mastery Program gives 30 CE credits for qualified professionals. Please see the CE Credits section above.
The Mastery Program is appropriate for social workers, MFT’s, counselors, mental health professionals, psychologists, and more. The Mastery Program is appropriate for Intermediate to Advanced levels.
The Mastery Program is also appropriate for anyone interested in resolving anxiety, depression, and/or stress and seeking greater fulfillment in life.
NOTE: The Deconstructing Anxiety Intensive is a prerequisite for the Mastery Program. You must take the Deconstructing Anxiety Intensive prior to attending the Mastery Program (or have equivalent experience approved by Dr. Pressman).
PRESENTER BIO
PRESENTER: TODD E. PRESSMAN, PH.D.
He graduated with degrees in psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and Saybrook Institute. His books Deconstructing Anxiety: The Journey from Fear to Fulfillment, Radical Joy: Awakening Your Potential For True Fulfillment and The Bicycle Repair Shop: A True Story Of Recovery From Multiple Personality Disorder have all received high acclaim. In 1982, he traveled the world to study the great wisdom and healing traditions, including with a Zen master, a Jain family, a Zoroastrian high priest and a Sri Lankan firewalker. His education also includes an internship under Stanislav Grof, M.D. at the Esalen Institute.
With a background deeply rooted in tradition (he was groomed by a father whose teachers were taught by Sigmund Freud), he has integrated this wide-ranging experience into a new program of psychological development called “Deconstructing Anxiety”. His working model is based on Michelangelo’s ideal: to release the statue from the stone, the authentic Self from the overlays of imposed identity, into the discovery of freedom, joy, and fulfillment.
Informed Consent For Group
Thank you for signing up for the seminar. We look forward to working with you. Please review the following information, and sign at the end to acknowledge your agreement with what you have read.
Confidentiality: Confidentiality is of paramount importance. The agreement among all seminar
participants to strictly maintain confidentiality is part of what makes the deep work of the seminar possible. It creates the safety necessary for people to open up and develop the bonds of trust between members that is an essential part of the experience. By signing at the bottom, you agree to keep everything you learn about others in this seminar completely confidential, as they
will agree to do for you.
Coaching: This is not a seminar in psychotherapy but rather a coaching experience. That means that Dr. Pressman is not functioning as a psychotherapist and cannot provide the same services as one would expect from a psychotherapist. Specifically, this seminar focuses on the Deconstructing Anxiety method and, as such, follows a set of principles and practices that are different from those offered in psychotherapy. Dr. Pressman functions as a coach, a facilitator, of this method, as opposed to a therapist utilizing the methods of standardized psychotherapeutic schools of thought.
Availability: Dr. Pressman is not available for communications before, after or in between group
sessions.
Insurance: Since this is not a therapy experience, no insurance reimbursement is available.
Responsible for self: If you are having a mental health crisis, you agree to find appropriate help,
and understand that Dr. Pressman cannot be available for contact in such situations. During the
seminar, it is understood that you are responsible for your own self-care, and that neither Dr. Pressman nor anyone on his staff can function as a source of help or support for circumstances beyond the focus of the seminar (the principles and practices of the Deconstructing Anxiety method).
No-harm contract: You agree unequivocally that you will not harm yourself during the time of our work together. You further agree that should you have thoughts about self-harm, you will discuss them in session. Finally, you understand, as stated above, that I am functioning as a life coach in these sessions and not as a psychotherapist, so I am therefore unable to provide the support and other services that a psychotherapist would in the event that you had thoughts of self-harm.
If for any reason Dr. Pressman feels the seminar is no longer the appropriate place for you to meet your goals, he reserves the right to conclude your participation in the program at any time. Of course, this would be done in discussion with you, and Dr. Pressman can suggest alternative options he believes would be more beneficial for you if you’d like. You would be entitled to a full refund of your tuition for the seminar under these circumstances.