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Mexico City Immersion Program

THE WORLD NEEDS CLINICIANS WITH AN INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE

Saludos! The Counseling Psychology Program at Alliant International University’s
Mexico City campus invites you to join us for this summer’s CSPP 2012 Spanish Language, Class and Cultural Immersion program at Alliant International University’s Mexico City campus.

DATES: JUNE 4-JULY 6, 2012

This program is designed and implemented on the foundation of five educational pillars:

• Critical Pedagogy
• Liberation Psychology
• A Self of the Therapist Focus
• A Pointillism Approach to Culture
• Spanish Language Training for Mental Health Workers

The program will run from June 4 (arrival day) to July 6 (departure day). For those taking academic classes, a second 5 weeks of online coursework will follow. This will be a life impacting educational experience. It will also be a chance to meet faculty and future colleagues from many campuses and universities who share your passion about social-justice oriented mental health approaches from an international perspective!

Here is a small sample of what this year’s program will include:

• Helping facilitate a camp for and learn from children who have been living on the street and who are finding new life options.
• Journey to a rural part of Mexico.
• Latin American originating approaches to mental health.
• Exposure to indigenous healing practices and the opportunity to participate in a Temezcal.
• Clinical theories and ideas for serving impoverished and oppressed communities. 
• Increased awareness of how U.S. culture shapes most mental health approaches and opportunities to gain international clinical competencies.
• An opportunity to earn a Certificate in Latin American Family Therapy

ACADEMIC COURSES

A number of academic courses will also be offered, three of which will help you meet the requirements for the Certificate in Latin American Family Therapy. We will have outstanding faculty joining us this summer who draw on ideas from Paulo Freire’s critical pedagogy (google it!) and you have the experience of being co-creators of knowledge with them! The classes offered for Summer 2012 are:

• PSY 6643 Critical Issues in Latin America (3 units) 
• PSY 6654 Latin American & Liberation Psychology (3 units) 
• PSY 7312 Sex Therapy (2 units) 
• PSY 6311 Introduction to Psychopathology (3 units) 
• PSY 6303 Group Therapy (3 units) 
• PSY 6317 Parent-Child Therapy (3 units) 
• PSY 6999 Clinical Treatment with LGBT Clients of Mexican Descent (3 units)

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

1. Applicants must be currently enrolled and in good standing in an undergraduate psychology program, a graduate mental health training program, or have graduated from an accredited mental health training program.
2. Applicants must submit an essay describing why they are interested in being part of the Immersion Program. Essays should be sent via email to Ms. Vania Quiroz. 
3. Applicants need to arrange for a brief phone interview with Dr. Jason Platt. 
4. Alliant students who would like to apply for the System-wide Student Government Association’s Mexico Scholarship should contact your local SSGA representative today!

PROGRAM FEE: $3,000

The program fee includes all housing, Spanish coursework and materials, the majority of breakfasts and suppers for the first four weeks, lectures, entrance fees to program activities, and travel from Mexico City to a rural community in Mexico.

The fee does not include your flight to Mexico City or tuition for any of the academic classes in which you choose to enroll. Typically financial aid is available. Please meet with your local campus financial aid office to make arrangements.

NEXT STEPS

1. Email Dr. Jason Platt and confirm that you are planning to participate in this year’s immersion program. 
2. Please arrange a time for an interview with Dr. Platt.
3. Secure your spot for the 2012 program by submitting a non-refundable deposit of $250 by February 1st, 2012. Please make the check payable to Alliant International University and put "Mexico Summer Immersion Program" in the memo section and mail it to Alliant International University, Attn: Thomas Swank; 10455 Pomerado Road, M-18; San Diego, CA 92131-1799
   For other payment options, please contact Thomas Swank at tswank@alliant.edu 
4. Apply for a passport if you do not already have one. For more information, please consult the State Department website.
5. Confirm with your home campus program director about the possibility of attending and to confirm whether academic courses can be used to meet program requirements in your home program.
6. Contact your local financial aid office to learn about financial aid options for this program.
7. Read about the philosophies of the program in the attached article.
8. Buy a journal and your plane ticket!

Take care, and we look forward to having you visit beautiful Mexico soon!