The 2026 Core Skills Training Workshop is Completed

Core Skills in Existential-Humanistic Psychotherapy Practice

A 16-Hour Live Online Experiential Workshop for Clinicians

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Workshop Overview

The Existential-Humanistic Institute (EHI) offers this annual online workshop for therapists who want to develop or strengthen their skills in Existential-Humanistic (E-H) psychotherapy.

The E-H approach emphasizes presence, authentic engagement, and working with clients’ immediate, lived experience. It helps therapists support clients in developing greater self-awareness, recognizing choices, exploring deeply held concerns, and finding more meaningful ways of relating to themselves and others.

This 16-hour training introduces the core skills and capacities of E-H psychotherapy through brief presentations, instructor demonstrations, discussion, and guided experiential practice.

This is an interactive, hands-on workshop rather than a lecture series. Participants will work with instructors and one another to explore how E-H principles can be applied in clinical practice.

The training is valuable for therapists new to E-H psychotherapy, those returning to the approach, and clinicians from other therapeutic orientations who want to deepen their relational and experiential skills.

Workshop at a Glance

  • Format: Live online via Zoom
  • Duration: 16 hours of training over four half-days across two consecutive weekends
  • Instruction: Brief presentations, demonstrations, large- and small-group discussions, and experiential exercises in pairs (dyads)
  • Participation: Cameras on and active engagement expected
  • Language: English
  • Preparation: No advance reading, coursework, or testing required
  • Recordings: Sessions are not recorded or available for later viewing
  • Continuing Education: Up to 16 CE credits anticipated, pending approval for 2027; separate fee

2027 Workshop Dates & Schedule

The next Core Skills Online Workshop is planned for fall 2027.

The workshop will take place over four half-days on two consecutive Friday–Saturday weekends.

2027 Dates: To be announced

Daily Schedule: 9:00 a.m.–1:15 p.m. Pacific Time. 

Location: Live online via Zoom

Registration is expected to open in July 2027. Exact dates and registration information will be announced in advance.

Subscribe to the EHI mailing list to get updates.

What You Will Learn

This workshop introduces some core areas of Existential-Humanistic psychotherapy. Through demonstration, discussion, and experiential practice, participants will explore how these capacities support therapeutic engagement and help clients work with their lived experience.

In this 16-hour online existential therapy training, leading instructors in the E-H field will provide theoretical explanation and experiential opportunities for the development and/or strengthening of skills and capacities that are not only core to the E-H approach but can also support therapists of many other modalities cultivate a foundation for optimizing their technical skills. 

Topics covered include:

  • The cultivation of presence as both the ground of therapy and one of its primary objectives
  • The focus on the “living moment” in working with the “here-and-now” experience of clients – staying with what presents itself phenomenologically rather than employing theoretical interventions
  • The differentiation between primary, direct experience and secondary, interpretive experience – and the emphasis on working with phenomenological experience
  • The meaning-making process and the formation of the Self-and-World Construct – helping client and therapist understand identity construction and de-construction
  • How to work with the client’s ways of being in the world and how to utilize the therapist-client relationship to help shift unhelpful ways of being
  • How to identify and work through clients’ inner battles in order to support their longings to emerge, and feel more choice-ful and psychospiritually whole
  • Integrating and embodying your theoretical beliefs and authentic sense of self in your work as a therapist

How the Online Workshop Works

An Experiential Approach to Learning

E-H psychotherapy places particular importance on direct experience. For this reason, the workshop emphasizes learning through participation and practice, supported by brief theoretical presentations.

Each session combines several methods of instruction:

  • Large-group learning: Instructors introduce core concepts through short presentations, demonstrations, and guided discussion.
  • Small-group learning: Participants work in assigned small groups throughout the workshop to discuss concepts, observe demonstrations, and practice skills.
  • Dyad exercises: Participants work in pairs to explore and practice the therapeutic skills introduced during each session.

These activities offer opportunities to experience E-H principles firsthand, reflect on the therapeutic process, and explore how the skills apply to clinical work.

Zoom and Participation Requirements

The workshop takes place entirely online using Zoom and Zoom Breakout Rooms.

Participants should:

  • Join the Zoom waiting room 15 minutes before each session.
  • Plan to attend all four sessions in full.
  • Keep their cameras on and participate actively in exercises and discussions.
  • Be prepared to engage in small-group and dyad practice.

Please note: This is a live, interactive training. Sessions are not recorded, and there is no on-demand viewing option. Because the experiential activities build on one another, participants are expected to attend the full workshop.

Preparation and Reading Materials

No advance coursework, required reading, or testing is involved. The workshop follows an experience-first approach, allowing participants to engage with the methods directly before exploring additional theoretical material.

Supplemental readings and resources will be shared after the workshop.

For those interested in a more detailed theoretical foundation, we recommend Existential-Humanistic Therapy by Kirk Schneider and Orah Krug. This text is also a resource for EHI’s Foundations Certificate program.

Who Should Attend?

This workshop is designed for clinicians who have experience working with clients and want to explore or deepen their understanding of Existential-Humanistic psychotherapy.

It is particularly well suited for:

  • Licensed and pre-licensed mental health professionals, including psychologists, marriage and family therapists, clinical social workers, and professional counselors
  • Psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, and other medical professionals engaged in therapeutic practice
  • Graduate students in clinical master’s or doctoral programs who have experience working with clients
  • Therapists new to E-H psychotherapy who want an introduction to its core skills
  • Clinicians with previous E-H training who would like to refresh and strengthen their practice

Both U.S. and international clinicians are welcome.

No previous formal training in E-H psychotherapy is required, but participants should have clinical experience.

How This Workshop Relates to EHI's Foundations Certificate

Core Skills is a stand-alone training that can also serve as an introduction to EHI’s longer, experiential training programs.

The workshop covers some of the same core skills explored during the retreat portion of EHI’s Foundations of Existential-Humanistic Practice Certificate program.

However, Core Skills is not a substitute for the Foundations Certificate program or its required in-person retreat. While portions of the Foundations program are offered remotely, the mandatory experiential retreat must be attended in person.

For those considering further training with EHI, Core Skills offers an opportunity to become familiar with the E-H approach before deciding whether to pursue a longer program.

EHI's Clinical Training Committee

The instructional team each year includes many of the board members, core instructors, and teaching affiliates (see the photo below for the 2026 instructors). Listed here below are those involved in designing the curriculum for this offering.

2026 Registration & Tuition*

The standard tuition for licensed and pre-licensed professionals in 2026 was $685. Discounted tuition was available for elders and students, along with two limited-time early-bird offers. 

Registration Category

Standard Tuition

Early Early Bird

Early Bird

Licensed/Pre-Licensed Professional

$685

$615

$645

Elder/Student

$635

$565

$595

* EHI reserves the right to increase the tuition prior to the start of 2027 registration as needed. 

Elder/Student Rate: Save $50 on standard tuition. Available to adults age 65 and older and students enrolled in master’s or doctoral clinical programs.

Early Early Bird Offer — Through TBA

Save $70 on tuition:

  • Professional: $615
  • Elder/Student: $565

Early Bird Offer — From TBA Through TBA

Save $40 on tuition:

  • Professional: $645
  • Elder/Student: $595

To receive either early-bird rate, the full tuition balance must be paid by the applicable offer deadline.

Optional Continuing Education Fee: $70 for up to 16 CE credits, subject to 2027 program approval.

Registration Dates

  • Registration Opens: Expected July 2027
  • Early Early Bird Deadline: To be announced
  • Early Bird Offer Period: To be announced
  • Split-Payment Registration Deadline: To be announced
  • Final Tuition Payment Deadline: To be announced

Specific dates will be posted when registration opens.

Payment Options

Two payment options are planned for 2027:

Option 1: Pay in Full

Pay the full tuition amount when registering. Eligible participants may receive an Early Early Bird or Early Bird discount if payment is completed by the applicable deadline.

Option 2: Split Payments

Participants who register before the split-payment deadline may reserve their place by paying a deposit, then pay the remaining tuition balance by the final payment deadline.

Required Deposits:

  • Professional registration: $150
  • Elder/Student registration: $100

The deposit holds your place until the final tuition payment deadline.

Important: To qualify for either early-bird offer, the full tuition balance must be paid by that offer’s deadline. Paying only the deposit during an early-bird period does not guarantee the discounted rate.

After the split-payment registration deadline, full tuition payment will be required at registration.

Refund Policy

For the 2027 workshop, EHI plans to continue its previous refund policy:

  • Before the refund deadline: Tuition paid is refundable, minus a $75 administrative fee.
  • After the refund deadline: No refunds will be issued.

The specific 2027 refund deadline will be announced when registration opens.

Continuing Education (CE) Information

Continuing Education for 2027

EHI has been approved for up to 16 continuing education credits each year for the Core Skills workshop through the Society for Humanistic Psychology (SHP), APA Division 32. We will submit a proposal for approval in the spring of 2027.

  • Separate CE fee in 2026: $70
  • Attendance requirement: Full participation in all four workshop sessions is required for the full 16 credits.

The 2026 workshop was approved for up to 16 continuing education credits through SHP.

Will My Licensing Board Accept These CE Credits?

Continuing education credits from an APA-approved sponsor may be accepted by licensing boards for psychologists, marriage and family therapists (LMFTs), clinical social workers (LCSWs), and professional counselors (LPCs).

Acceptance varies by profession and licensing jurisdiction. Please confirm with your licensing board that it accepts continuing education credits from an APA-approved sponsor before registering for CEs.

Accessibility and Accommodations

EHI strives to make its training accessible to interested clinicians.

For disability-related accommodations, course information, or questions about participating in the workshop, please contact EHI. Michelle, EHI’s Program Administrator, can assist with inquiries.

APA Approved Sponsor logo

APA Division 32, Society for Humanistic Psychology, is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. APA Division 32, Society for Humanistic Psychology, maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

FAQ

This workshop is professional enrichment designed for therapeutic professionals with clinical experience who want to learn or deepen their understanding of Existential-Humanistic (E-H) psychotherapy.

We welcome licensed and pre-licensed professionals from the U.S. and internationally, including therapists, psychologists, marriage and family therapists, social workers, counselors, psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, and physicians.

Graduate students in counseling, psychology, and related therapeutic programs who have clinical experience are also welcome.

No. This is a live-only workshop, and recordings will not be available for later viewing.

To encourage open participation and create a supportive learning environment, we do not record attendee interactions. Although instructors may be recorded during their presentations or demonstrations, these brief teaching segments alone cannot capture the experiential learning that takes place.

We will, however, provide written reviews, presentation slides, and supplemental materials to help participants revisit what they have learned.

We ask that everyone who registers plan to attend all four days in full.

Each session builds on the previous one, and much of the learning takes place through participation in demonstrations, dyads, and small-group exercises. Missing sessions can make it difficult to follow and fully engage in the training. 

There will be no recordings to make up missed days or portions. If you cannot attend the full workshop, we encourage you to consider a future offering and leave the space for someone who can participate throughout.

This is a live, interactive training that combines brief presentations, instructor demonstrations, group discussions, and experiential exercises.

Participants will work in large groups, small groups, and dyads (pairs) to explore and practice core E-H therapeutic skills. EHI instructors facilitate the exercises and provide guidance and feedback.

Participants will remain with the same small group throughout the workshop, allowing relationships and learning to develop over time.

Yes. Because this is an experiential workshop, we ask participants to keep their cameras on and remain actively engaged throughout the sessions.

Being visible helps instructors gauge understanding and supports the connection and engagement essential to dyad exercises, small-group work, and the workshop as a whole.

We understand that participants who are not earning Continuing Education credits may occasionally need to turn off their cameras briefly. However, camera-on participation is an important expectation of this training.

If you need disability-related accommodations, please contact us in advance so we can discuss your needs.

No preparation, required reading, or testing is involved. This is not a lecture series or a survey course on theory or philosophy. 

This workshop follows an experience-first approach. We encourage participants to arrive ready to engage, explore, and learn through direct experience.

For those who would like to explore the theory of E-H psychotherapy before the workshop, we recommend browsing EHI’s Recommended Articles list and The Existential Moment blog series. The textbook, Existential-Humanistic Therapy (3rd Edition) by Schneider & Krug, includes E-H theory and is a primary resource for our Foundations Certificate program.

No. We encourage participants to focus on being present rather than taking extensive notes.

The presentations are intentionally brief and are designed to introduce the concepts and skills explored through demonstrations and experiential exercises.

After each weekend, we will provide a Weekend Review with key concepts and session notes. These materials will help you revisit the learning without having to document everything during the workshop.

Participants will receive materials to support their continued learning, including:

  • Weekend Reviews: Summaries of key concepts and topics covered during each weekend.
  • Presentation Slides: Copies of PowerPoint presentations used by instructors.
  • Supplemental Readings: Selected articles, handouts, and other E-H psychotherapy resources.
  • Shared Dropbox Folder: Access to workshop handouts, presentations, reviews, and supplemental reading materials.

Participants will also have an opportunity to opt in to sharing contact information with other attendees who would like to stay connected.

In 2026 and each year previously the workshop was approved for up to 16 CE credits, with four credits available per day. The optional CE fee was $70. CE availability and details for future offerings will be confirmed separately.

When CE credits are offered, participants must attend each session in full, with their cameras on, including all large-group, small-group, and dyad activities. Participants must also complete the required evaluations.

CE credits are provided through the Society for Humanistic Psychology (Division 32 of the American Psychological Association), an APA-approved continuing education sponsor.

Although many state licensing boards accept continuing education credits from APA-approved sponsors, participants are responsible for confirming acceptance with their own licensing boards. The current program information notes that these credits are not accepted in New York.

If CE registration becomes available after workshop registration opens, we will notify those who have already registered and provide instructions for adding CE credits.

For questions or documentation to share with your licensing board, please contact us.

Yes! EHI can provide Documentation of Attendance on official EHI letterhead, upon request, at no additional charge.

This documentation is available to participants who attend and participate in the full workshop. It confirms attendance and participation but is separate from Continuing Education credit.

Your Zoom link will be included in your Registration Confirmation email, which should arrive within a few minutes of registering.

If you do not receive it, please check your spam or junk folder. If you still cannot find it, contact us so we can help.

Please double-check your email address when registering to ensure you receive your confirmation and workshop communications.

We have a limited amount of time so we ask participants to join the Zoom waiting room 15 minutes before each session so everyone is ready to begin on time.

Please contact us if you would like to register multiple participants.

We can arrange a single invoice for your group. Once payment is received, we will provide registration codes for each attendee to use.

Each participant will then register individually using their own name and email address. This ensures everyone receives their workshop information and Zoom link directly.

If you are having trouble completing registration, please check that you have followed these steps in order:

  1. Select the type of ticket you wish to purchase.
  2. Initial the payment agreement.
  3. Initial the waiver.

Both agreements must be initialed before you can continue with registration.

If you still have trouble, please contact us for assistance.

We need a valid email address that you have access to and that you check frequently to send you important workshop information, including your registration confirmation, Zoom link, reminders, and workshop resources.

Please double-check your email address before submitting your registration.

We respect your privacy. We do not sell or share your contact information with third parties. Workshop-related emails are prepared and sent by EHI.

The 2026 Core Skills Instruction Team

Core Skills October 2026 EHI Instruction Team