The Institute of Humanistic and Existential Psychology was founded in 1995 in Vilnius. Since 1996, The Institute has its base in Birštonas (90 km from Vilnius), a nice and cosy health resort on the coast of Nemunas.
The foremost goal of the Institute is to promote and develop existential phenomenological psychology and therapy, to offer training programs in this field and to provide training to its professionals. The staff of the Institute consists of over 30 teachers, trainers, supervisors and therapists, including 3 professors, 12 holders of M.D. or Ph.D. in psychology or philosophy and 10 holders of the European Psychotherapy Certificate. Most of the staff have vast experience in psychotherapeutic practice of many years.
Training programmes
The life at HEPI is dominated by the international two-level Existential Therapy training programme. It is approved by Lithuanian Psychotherapy Association and the Clinical and Organizational Psychology Department of the Vilnius University. Its volume and content conform to the requirements of the European Psychotherapy Certificate. Upon successful completion of the Programme, the student is awarded the Diploma of Psychotherapist in recognition of the achieved qualification of a psychotherapist (in existential therapy).
Seminars
Each year, the Institute hosts a few short (up to 4 days) practical seminars: Bibliotherapy by Aleksandras Alekseičikas, Coping with Psychological Crises by Kristina Ona Polukordienė, The Phenomenon of Forgiving in Life and Therapy by Julia Abakumova-Kočiūnienė, seminars on existential philosophy by Irina Glukhova and Prof. Tomas Sodeika, etc.