Training Format

Every student joins a training group who stay together for three years, attending modules, webinars, supervision sessions and peer groups. This provides an exceptional learning opportunity, the possibility to give and receive support, the feeling of having a broad safety net of colleagues going through similar experiences. This also helps to avoid potential feelings of isolation during the progression of the three years. Each training group has between 30-45 students primarily from the Nordic countries, UK & Ireland. The teaching is in English although some peer and supervision groups may use their mother tongue. 

At the same time we are part of a greater network of Grof® Legacy Trainings around the world, as well as GLT training being associated with Ubiquity University and the Grof Studies Graduate Programme. 

The Modules

The main training is provided over seven residential modules. Each module will have a different theme related to the holotropic, transpersonal paradigm. 

Four 9-day modules will include six experiential Grof® Breathwork sessions. Each participant will have three sessions as an experiencer (“breather”) and three sessions as a support (“sitter”) for an experiencer.

Three shorter modules will each include four psychedelic sessions using psilocybin, two as a sitter, two as an experiencer. 

This will be sufficient practical experience to qualify as a Grof® Breathwork facilitator and Grof® psychedelic therapy facilitator.  However, it is recommended for participants to have multiple experiences as a participant in workshops during the training, especially those students who have little prior experience. 

Webinars

Six 3-hour webinars are provided each year of the training to supplement the module teaching. Each webinar includes live discussions and group work. Recordings will be uploaded to the student portal on the website for viewing after the session.  

Group supervision/consultation 

Each student is assigned a supervisor during the first module. Ten group supervision days (via zoom, 6-hours) will be provided through the training, approximately two between each module. These groups of up to ten students are an important aspect of the training. Usually, students remain in the same supervision group throughout the training. 

Peer groups

Each student is a member of a peer group of up to five people. Peer groups meet monthly (via Zoom).  These groups are fundamental for keeping momentum: providing on-going connection, support and companionship as the training unfolds.

We have found students strongly appreciate the close and supportive connections developed during training, both through the longer residential modules and the regular connections by Zoom in supervision groups, webinars and peer groups. 

Apprenticing

Apprenticing is a necessary and important factor in the training. This involves assisting facilitators in other breathwork workshops/modules. The scope will be discussed with the individual trainee. 

In collaboration with a fellow student, each student must organise at least one Grof® Breathwork event during the three years. We consider this to be an important learning process, supervised and led by a course facilitator.  

Journaling 

Students are encouraged to keep a journal of their experiential work during the training and save their mandalas for the certification. 

ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS

Modules: Students must attend all residential modules. A missed module must be replaced by attending another module, either with the next cohort of students, or possibly with another GLT training when that is possible. This might be at the students’ own expense.  

Supervision: Students must attend eight out of ten supervision days. If this is not possible, certification might be postponed or one supervision day can be replaced by a 2-hour individual supervision at the students’ own expense. 

Webinars: Students should attend at least four out of six live webinars each year, or watch a replay within 48 hours. 

CERTIFICATION

The final 9-day module will be the completion of the training. There is no formal examination as such. Each student will be asked to present an essay based on their journals, reflecting their personal and professional journey through the training (approx 1500 words).  Certification will be based upon the fulfilment of the requirements and an evaluation by the trainer faculty of readiness. 

A diploma will be issued signed by Stanislav Grof, Brigitte Grof and your training director, acknowledging your qualification as a facilitator of Grof Breathwork and Grof Psychedelic Therapy (the latter only if you have participated fully in the psychedelic training).

Core texts for the training

  • Grof, S, and Grof, B (2022) Grof® Legacy Training: manual for working with holotropic states of consciousness, own publication for GLT training only, Wiesbaden. 
  • Grof, S (2019) The way of the psychonaut: encyclopedia of inner journeys, vol. I & II. MAPS Publications, Santa Cruz.
  • Grof, S, & Grof, C (2011) Holotropic breathwork: a new approach to self-exploration and therapy, State University of New York Press, Albany.
  • Grof, S (2001) LSD psychotherapy, 3rd edn, MAPS, Sarasota.

Other books by Grof are available at: https://www.stangrof.com/index.php/books