I had heard about Sandy’s therapeutic work and way of relating from friends who had worked with her in training and therapy. I had also been training and working for 5+years when I made the decision to step out of a psychoanalytic studies program and train with Sandy. My work required me to do shorter term intensive therapy with students at university who came with difficulties ranging from anxiety, early childhood trauma, attachment issues, chronic depression, and what the DSM terms as borderline personality disorder.

Doing the Presence Oriented Therapy course was one of the best decisions and investments I have made as a mental health professional. Learning under Sandy as brought a fundamental grounding, awareness and attunement to my work with clients. In our first module, Sandy addressed an elemental aspect of BEING a therapist - stability and grounding. What I really adored about this was that she viscerally addressed the need for a stable internal base for client work. The impact of psychic pain, unconscious conflicts and somatic suffering leave imprints that we have not been fully taught to be with in most of our MA/M.Phil programs. It was with Sandy that I learned how to ground myself through awareness and hold deeper space for my clients to access their own awareness and emotions. Training with Sandy helped forge an alive and ongoing connection with my therapist self and therapist “spirit” that I hope to deepen over the course of my life. Here are some core differences in my work after training.

1.) Deeper self awareness and the ability to listen to what my body is telling me/ somatic awareness in sessions and processes to work with what has been evoked on an emotional/ somatic level.

2.) A clear sense of how to bring a trauma informed approach on a spectrum- to working with clients, step by step. My work now is guided by helping clients locate their internal and external resources and anchors so that they can experience more agency and containment as we deepen our explorations of painful or stuck areas.

3.) The capacity to help clients build a connection with their observing ego/ awareness while we explore and navigate different emotions.

4.) The experience of the embodied person-centric approach. Honing my own capacity to slow down, invite the clients awareness into the moment and the body, and to remain unhurried and centered as we explore new terrain. The ability to BE more present with and validate more deeply my clients emotional conflicts and experiences in a way that give breathing space for them to be expressed and felt more deeply. I feel my instincts around what creates flow in therapy and what ruptures it have grown more refined.

5.) A focusing-oriented framework for gently working with somatic material in the body and emotions in the mind. Along with thoughts and emotions, I now work with clients to locate and speak from their “ felt sense” which leads to more meaningful and intimate work and is excellent in short term depth therapy.

6.) An extremely valuable framework for language and felt sense using the Internal Family Systems lens to look at conflicts within the psyche, and an understanding of the role of language in expressing and containing emotional material.

7.) A deeper experiential alignment with the wisdom of the eastern traditions in looking at the capacity of the mind to create patterns of suffering or distortion, integrated with the discoveries of trauma informed approaches of the west to healing trauma.

8.) An attachment theory informed perspective when looking at relational conflicts with clients.

Sandy has been one of the most important teachers in my life. If I have to sum it up in a sentence- my earlier academic training and reading theory taught me a great deal about what psychotherapy is, and what different schools of thought and therapists have brought to the table. My training with Sandy has taught me much more about what BEING a therapist is, and cultivating my own capacities to be a more grounded, attuned, unhurried and curious person. Sandy’s approach helped me see how radical slowing down to listen can be, and that has helped me find a sense of flow and ease in my work with clients.

Batch 2018-20

The POP program, for me, has been life changing and I would highly recommend it to anyone contemplating if they should embark on this challenging yet beautiful journey.

POP is mindfully curated and led by Sandy, who has been our lighthouse during this entire course. POP helps in building understanding of crucial frameworks such as Attachment theory, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Focusing, Buddhist philosophy, Somatic experiencing, non-dual wisdom not just at a concept level but as experiential learning. Further Sandy helped us understand what mindfulness and interdependence means in the true sense. Thus enabling us to bring everything that we have learned together while integrating it in the safe space we hold with a deepened understanding of the therapist’s presence, relational field and the client’s state of presence.

On a personal level, I could witness the program’s impact way beyond what I could have ever imagined. Post pandemic, a lot of organisations were laying off employees and initially my intention for joining the program was to have some sense of safety and skill set that would make me more financially independent. Navigating through this program, I understood myself better and it was because of the safe spaces and support that POP provided that I realised what I truly love and the way I wanted to live my life. I realised that my dreams and aspirations should be driven by curiosity instead of fear. This was possible only because I was able to be present and be in presence (with myself and the world). Over time, with regular formal practice, the quality of presence that I was experiencing also changed as I was able to compassionately witness aspects of attunement and resonance even with the parts within me that I used to think were unpleasant. Now I feel more grounded and centred, as I invite all these parts, even those that I considered unpleasant, to meet me as they want to.

Words cannot do justice for what I feel and sense in my body as I think of the impact that POP has had in my life. Growing up, I have always questioned what it really means to be at ‘home’. What feels to be seen, heard and held? For the first time, I understood that ‘home’ has been within me and that I could always return to it whenever I wanted to.

Batch 2022-24

The PG Advanced Diploma in Presence-Oriented Psychotherapy has been curated with careful clinical judgment of the knowledge, skills and practice that a therapist requires to effectively and effortlessly facilitate change for their clients. The flow of the course is beautiful and each module picks up from the last and adds to the continuity of learning. I love how holistic the course is in bringing in various perspectives of psychotherapy, psychology and philosophy together. There is as much, if not more, focus, on the Person and Self of the therapist as there is on the tools and techniques for therapy and the therapeutic relationship. Sandy’s gentle, compassionate presence and vast professional experience makes this course very unique and depth-oriented. I have thoroughly enjoyed the introduction of guest international faculty and integration of art and movement practices into the process of self-awareness. This course has been way beyond my expectations and has really helped me move towards authenticity, ease and an expanded awareness personally and deepened my theoretical grounding and therapeutic processing skills, professionally. I am really grateful for this opportunity.

Batch 2017-19

Being with Just Being!

I look back at the past year with a sense of awe at the range of learning processes that I have experienced. Though the body-mind connection was familiar to me, and I practice Vipassana and hence am familiar with body sensations, the processes in the course opened up new meanings of the term body-mind connection. The presence oriented approach is not touched upon in any other counseling course, and I now feel that it is so integral to the counseling process. The course has helped me in my approach to professional assignments, these much more enriching. The methodology of the course was also very creative, with an emphasis on student and facilitator co-creating the learning space .Sandy was a role model in every sense of the word- practicing ‘presence’, using participatory processes, and just being herself.

When I joined the course, I had decided that I would not do the assignments. But by the end of the year, I had done most of the assignments as these were so enjoyable!

For me personally, it has been a year of certain life changes, and being part of the course has helped me in this process. There have been several changes which are difficult to write about, but suffice to say, that experiencing the presence processes has facilitated my personal transformation also. I have ever grateful to the universe for giving me this opportunity to do the course, at this phase of my life.

Batch 2017-19

I felt a need to learn how to use mindfulness and presence in psychotherapy because I realised during my training as a RCI certified clinical psychologist that no psychotherapeutic modality or psychological counselling would be effective unless a person is able to be present to what was being said and what was happening inside the therapy/counselling room. During the presence oriented psychotherapy course I learnt from Sandy how to view presence as a capacity and developed the skills to facilitate capacity building for presence using mindfulness practices for myself and people who seek my consultation. This course was an immersive meditative experience of self-care, skill-building, supervision, contemplation and research. Sandy is a kind and generous teacher and truly a gem of a person. I highly recommend mental health professionals who are seeking skill building/continuing skill development to take up this course!

Batch 2020-22

This course has been a transformative journey for me. Being in ‘Presence’ and experiencing the qualities of ‘Presence’ has helped me to develop grounded awareness: A place I can come back to again and again. Sandy’s gentle guidance and embodied presence created a safe space where I could truly connect with myself and others.

Through peer sessions, demos and observations we spent ample time integrating mindfulness and presence into our daily lives, making it a truly embodied experience. This has equipped me to be a more supportive and understanding friend, colleague, and therapist. Through various modalities like IFS, polyvagal theory, focusing and somatic work, I was able to touch and befriend the parts of myself I never knew existed. It’s not just a course, it’s a lifelong experience that stays with you. It’s a must-do for anyone seeking to deepen their self-understanding, cultivate presence, and hold space for others with compassion and authenticity.

Thank you, Sandy, for this profound journey of growth!

Batch 2021-23

POP has been life altering personally and professionally. I believe we can only meet the clients as deeply as we have met ourselves. And POP became the medium which sharpened the most important tool in therapy- the self of the therapist! It is beyond just a therapeutic approach - it unravels deeper aspects of self in an experiential, non prescriptive, embodied and process oriented manner at physical, emotional, mental, spiritual/subtle body level. Hence, perfectly blending energetic, biological and behavioural sciences.

I could finally slow down, tune in and sense into my being and breath. The essence of this course is enriching the quality of our presence without which no technique or modality will be effective. So far I have collected a lot of knowledge on how to be trauma-informed but this is the only course which could help implement the depth and connect needed with self and client in order to facilitate a trauma informed therapeutic work. Forever grateful to this course and Sandy!

Batch 2021-23

My therapeutic journey began in 2016, initially focused on cognitive restructuring, helping clients identify and challenge unhelpful thought patterns. Since enrolling in the POP program at JBC, my approach has undergone a profound transformation. I now prioritize presence, pausing, and slowing down within the therapeutic space. This shift has allowed me to cultivate a deeper connection with clients by acknowledging and exploring their feelings and bodily sensations. Guiding them to build richer narratives around their experiences has been immensely rewarding. I am deeply grateful for the POP program at JBC, which has significantly enhanced my therapeutic skills and deepened the quality of support I offer my clients.

I have become deeply attuned to the clients experience and my intention and focus is essentially on building safety for them in the space…this is something I learnt from my mentor and teacher Sandy, who’s presence and knowledge has inspired me in more ways than I can even describe.

All the modules that of the program are very important and useful, and one of my favourites is IFS, as it brought me in touch with parts of me which I didn’t even know existed, leading to me knowing myself and accepting my self with all my parts with kindness. Also I particularly enjoyed the peer sessions which not only reinforced the concepts and learning, also helped me build a community for myself.

I recommend this programme to anyone and everyone who is looking to make their work with clients more meaningful and aspires to meet their clients where they are in their journey and be a companion to their self work.

Batch 2022-24

The course is immersive and touches a place within you which you have been ready to meet but never have because you did not learn to just let it be. It compelles you to slow it down and look within the reality that exists in the here and now. Sandy and the space that she creates allows you to not only experience this state of ‘sahejta’ but also helps you learn how to hold the space for others. The biggest takeaway for me is the deep silence that comes with the pause. I’ve really come to appreciate that.

Batch 2018-20

A gifted psychotherapist, trainer and workshop leader with 19 years of experience in the field, she has primarily trained in Mindfulness based interventions like Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) and Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT), Integral Somatic Psychotherapy (ISP), Biodynamic CranioSacral Therapy (BSCT), Focusing Skills Certification and is equipped in skills in cognitive, affective, somatic works as well as trauma resolution.

Sandy Dias Andrade is a psychotherapist in mindfulness and presence and founder director of Just Being, Pune. She is internationally certified in Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). She is also visiting faculty on other courses at the University of Pune and TISS.

She is also a trustee at Connecting, an NGO involved in suicide prevention work. She was responsible for initiating the helpline service and has trained and mentored over hundred volunteers in ‘Mindfulness Based Active Listening’ as well as mentored other organisations and individuals in setting up listening systems.

Harini is an associated counselor with Just Being and holds individual as well as Group therapy spaces. She facilitated Grief Circles for the community on behalf of Just Being Center in association with Connecting Trust. She also works in the area of strengthening leadership in education and child development.

Harini Raval holds a Master’s degree in Social Work from ‘College of Social Work Nirmal Niketan’ and a Doctoral Degree in Education from ‘University of Twente, Netherlands’. She has trained in ‘Mindfulness Based Counseling: Listening with Embodied Presence’ from Just Being & St. Mira’s and ‘Mindfulness & Presence Oriented Psychotherapy’ from Just Being Center.

During the Training, Fiona will cover Focusing Level 1 and 2. She teaches aspects of the Focusing methodology in the first year as well as Thinking at the Edge as a process to contemplative inquiry in formulating a phenomenological approach to research in the second year.

Fiona Parr is a Focusing-oriented therapist and Certifying Coordinator for The International Focusing Institute (TIFI). She teaches the 5 levels basic course, and professional trainings to Trainer level in the UK and online; and she offers individual Focusing sessions. Fiona has facilitated personal development in others and herself since 1978, and practised Focusing since 1991. Her spiritual life is most important to her, and Focusing supports her spiritual practice.

Bruce Stevenson teaches elements of Internal Family Systems (IFS) and the Inquiry process on the course.

Bruce Stevenson studied Anthropology and has trained in Integrative psychotherapy and Internal Family Systems (IFS) (2006). He has been practicing for over twenty years utilising IFS as well as other effective therapies and techniques. He has also trained with A.H. Almass in the Diamond Approach and was a Buddhist monk in Japan, England and USA for a number of years.

Patricia Meadows teaches somatic approaches in being trauma informed as well as working with the subtle body and attachment oriented work on the course. She is a holistic nurse/counselor, trauma therapist, educator, teacher and facilitator of inner work.

Patricia has over 30 years of experience in healthcare and mental health. Currently in her integrative practice of over 15 years, she facilitates a process-oriented approach to healing, transforming and living authentically. Within this integral and holistic context, she also works as a trauma therapist with individuals who have experienced diverse forms of trauma (pre-and perinatal, attachment, relational, developmental, medical/surgical, emotional, physical, sexual, spiritual). Her work is deeply informed by long-term spiritual practice in the Diamond Approach, spiritual inquiry and mediation. She is a teacher in the Diamond Approach. She completed six years of doctoral studies in East/West Psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies.

Dr Mahesh Deokar will cover aspects of Buddhist Philosophy, Buddhist Psychology and Psychotherapy and is the head of the department of Pali at the University of Pune. He is a well-known scholar and has published a number of papers on Buddhist philosophy and has actively promoted the learning of Buddhist Psychology and Psychotherapy at the University. He takes a module on Buddhist philosophy and highlights the key principles of Buddhist philosophy that find relevance in the course

Amona teaches awareness through movement on the course and also assists Fiona Parr in the Focusing classes. Amona has been a Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner (Awareness Through Movement) since 1998. She is also a Focusing Trainer, ARUN Conscious Touch practitioner, and trained in Systemic Constellations.

John Prendergast has done pioneering work in bringing a non-dual approach to therapy, and he offers special sessions for our students of the Advanced Training Program in Mindfulness & Presence Oriented Psychotherapy. He is a spiritual teacher, author of ‘The Deep Heart - A Portal to Presence’ , psychotherapist, and retired adjunct professor of psychology. He was a professor of psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco for twenty-three years where he taught and supervised masters level counseling students. He has had a private psychotherapy practice since 1985. He is the founder and editor-in-chief of Undivided: The Online Journal of Nonduality and Psychology.

Sujatha Nerurkar teaches movement through yin yoga on the course as well as pranayam and the subtle body consciousness.

She is a well-established teacher in many different schools of yoga and is passionate about bringing Patanjali’s yoga sutra’s to a larger audience. She is in the process of developing a short term course with Just Being on Mindfulness through movement and yoga, based on the philosophy of the yoga sutras.