The NHS, Social Services, Relate, MIND and private counselling agencies are amongst the many services that secure Parks Inner Child Therapy (PICT) training for their workers. Many self-employed counsellors and therapists working in private practice have taken the PICT training as a useful addition to their portfolio of therapy skills.

The PICT Trauma & Abuse Specialist Skills Training course is accredited through the National Council of Psychotherapists (NCP). All holders of the PICT Certification can, upon application, automatically qualify to apply directly for licentiate membership of the NCP and then use the NCP logo on any literature.

The advantages of using this powerful and versatile 'stand-alone' therapy model are shorter waiting lists, a chance to reduce the 'revolving door' syndrome with clients, and be able to offer a service that is more gentle (which means without taking clients through details of traumatic experiences).

The 18 day course (two-day modules held once a month over 9 months  or three 6 day sessions held every 2 months) offers unique tools and skills to enable practising therapists or counsellors to work quickly, competently, thoroughly, confidently and gently. The PICT Trauma & Abuse Specialist Skills Training manual contains handouts for clients and has every exercise scripted for ease of use.

PICT students gain knowledge and techniques to deal with all aspects of the damaging results of sexual, physical and emotional childhood abuse, as well as, a wide range of other emotional problems like eating disorders, OCD, DID, self harm, ritual abuse, anxiety or depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, phobias, agoraphobia, working with abusers, grief and loss issues (including murder, suicide, abortion and miscarriage, pets), and have the ability to assist with Critical Incident Debriefing (witnessing/experiencing highly traumatic events).

Throughout the course participants can expect to learn, laugh, cry, change, develop and relax. The training format is explanation, demonstration and practise. Participants will leave the course with a full 'tool kit' and the confidence to use it comfortably and effectively with childhood abuse, emotional problems and any issue found to be connected with the belief system.

PICT is an experiential course, there is no role-play utilised, students will be expected to use their own personal experiences as material in all of the exercises.

Individual students may be 'tasked' (given specific assignments during the course) should the trainer feel it would be of positive benefit in their development towards becoming a PICT therapist.

• Prospective students will be fully qualified counsellors, therapists or practitioners with one year minimum of practical experience since their qualification. Copy of the relevant qualification and current indemnity insurance must be submitted with the application form.
• Prospective students will be members of bona fide professional organisations. Copy of current membership must be submitted with the application form.
• Prospective students will be covered by professional indemnity insurance. Copy of current policy must be submitted with the application form.

A PICT Practitioner certification involves more than a person's ability to learn and use techniques. The personal qualities each therapist needs to fully engage with clients and make the best of the PICT method are also assessed. Those personal qualities are flexibility and adaptability; self awareness and willingness to embrace change; and of course, a high level of self respect and integrity.

A PICT therapist needs to be secure and comfortable with his or her own material so that he or she can readily step into the often fearful and traumatic world of their client’s inner child. From this position they are more likely to enhance the quality of the work done. The course format is based on experiential learning - providing each student with a thorough ‘client’ experience to fully understand the client’s perspective, as well as, clearing the students’ personal material that could be a possible restriction when facilitating clients.

Most PICT Trainers teach the course in the same location that they live, but others are happy to also make arrangements to teach the PICT course at outside venues. This could be organised by any group who wishes training in their location. The group would be responsible for providing the students, venue (room/s large enough to accommodate the students working in pairs), flip chart, refreshments, trainer accommodation and travelling expenses. Consequently, each group member would be granted the reduced ‘early bird’ fees for the entire course.

All training is provided through Penny Parks Training Ltd. Click here for details of the PPT training Terms and Conditions

Click here to view the full course syllabus

• Contact the Trainer of your choice to determine course locations, dates and spaces available.
• The Trainer will email a PDF file to you with Application and Terms & Conditions forms.
• Print out and complete by hand and sign the Application and Terms & Conditions forms, also submit a copy of your professional qualifications; professional indemnity insurance; and current membership to an appropriate professional body and POST all items to the Trainer. You will then be contacted to arrange an interview.
• If the interview is successful your references will be contacted.
• If your reference check is successful you will be notified of your placement on the course by Penny Parks Training Ltd and receive payment instructions.
• Upon receipt of your course payment (one month before course starts) your placement will be confirmed and the Trainer will email the first module’s notes to you. The training manual binder will be given the first day of training (you will need a four hole punch to prepare the module notes for the binder).