In South Africa, GIM training is offered to those qualified and registered with the HPCSA or SACSSP in the area of mental health. Exceptions can be made at the discretion of the trainers and may involve additional study.
GIM training is divided into three levels – introductory, intermediate and advanced GIM training – usually spanning a period of three years of part-time study.
- Prerequisites include:
- A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent level of academic training and life experience at the discretion of the trainers.
- Trainees must have all the necessary additional training and qualifications to practice legally as therapists, implying registration with the HPCSA/SACSSP.
- Course detail:
- 35 instructional hours (4 days) of didactic and experiential work.
- Level I offers the health practitioner knowledge, practical skills and personal experience in order to use beginner GIM programs in their existing practices.
- It is the practitioner’s choice whether or not to continue to the next levels.
- Prerequisites for Level II training include:
- A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent level of academic training and life experience at the discretion of the trainers
- Minimum two years’ experience in a related clinical mental health field
- Trainees must have all the necessary additional training and qualifications to practice legally as therapists, implying registration with the HPCSA/SACSSP.
- Completion of Level I and acceptance for Level II training
- Completion of self-study for level II as specified below
- Course details:
- 50 instructional hours (6 days) of didactic and experiential work
- Contents focus on in-depth training in and experience of the core elements of GIM, and practical application thereof.
- Six to eight intermediate GIM music programs
- Self-study for Level II include:
- Personal sessions with a GIM Fellow (completed prior to Level II)
- Documented sessions with individual clients under the auspices of the trainers (completed prior to Level II)
- Readings and reading reports
- Analysis of a specified number of the Level I GIM Music Programs
- Prerequisites for Level III training include:
- A Bachelor’s degree in a related field (minimum)
- Minimum three years’ experience in a related clinical mental health field.
- Trainees must have all the necessary additional training and qualifications to legally practice as therapists, implying registration with the HPCSA or SACSSP.
- Completion of Level II and acceptance for Level III training.
- Completion of self-study for level III as specified below.
- Course details:
- 128 instructional hours (four modules of 4 days each)
- Includes didactic and experiential work
- Four modules: GIM and pathology (4 days), Myth, archetype and symbol (4 days), Transpersonal GIM (4 days), Advanced guiding/supervision module (4 days)
- Although all the training levels include experiential work and personal involvement, the myth/archetype and the transpersonal modules imply in-depth personal involvement and development.
- Advanced GIM music programs
- At the discretion of the trainers, some students may have to complete supplemental training or additional instructional activities in order to increase their knowledge base (e.g. additional learning in the areas of the fundamentals of music, counseling skills, psychopathology, psychological theory, transpersonal concepts etc.)
- Self-study for Level III include:
- Personal GIM sessions with a GIM Fellow
- Logged client sessions
- Supervised GIM sessions with clients
- Written case study and GIM Musical Project
- Readings and reading reports
- Analysis of additional core GIM Music Programs
Upon completion of all coursework and self-study for Level I, II and III, graduates are recognized as having achieved the highest level of training in the Bonny Method of GIM. Graduates may work independently in settings for which they are otherwise professionally qualified and registered. Graduates are eligible to apply for AMI Fellowship and inclusion in the AMI Fellows Register. Requirements for continuing education and additional AMI information will be provided at the end of Level III.
Short Music Journeys is an adapted form of the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music. SMJ training involves a 4-day course with theoretical, practical and experiential components and allows the practitioner to use SMJ in their existing practices. Available training courses will be announced on the home page under “News”. Please read Question 11 under “GIM Explained” for more information about SMJ.
