India Cultural Immersion Program
COURSE ENROLLMENT
PREPARE FOR TRAVEL
Join us for the "Mental Health Perspectives in India" course, which will be taught as an immersion education experience in Chennai India - a city often called the cultural capital of Southern India for its deep-rooted traditions and long heritage! Only those enrolled in the course are eligible to attend the immersion program.
The program dates are January 6, 2013- January 15, 2013. See how ten days can impact your life!
Did you know that nearly 70% of Southeast Asian immigrants meet the criteria for PTSD but very few access mental health services? Begin your journey building multicultural competence working with these populations by enrolling in our (PSY 6654) Mental Health Perspectives in India Spring semestercourse, andspending 10 days in Chennai, India!
DATES: January 6, 2013 – January 15, 2013
The India Immersion Program will be an enriching cultural experience providing profound opportunities for professional development. India, being an ancient seat of knowledge and practice in alternative healing and spiritual traditions, offers a great setting for an immersion program for mental health professionals who are intent on enhancing cross-cultural and international competencies, particularly with an eye towards better serving the needs of the South Asian communities. One academic course will be offered during the program, which you are required to take in order to attend the immersion experience in India.
JOIN US IN CHENNAI, INDIA!
Essayist Mark Twain described India as, “the one land that all men desire to see, and having seen once, by even a glimpse, would not give that glimpse for all the shows of all the rest of the globe combined.” India’s rich culture, complex history, diverse populations and its ever increasing presence in the global community makes it a powerful environment for mental health workers to gain international clinical competencies.
SAMPLE SCHEDULE OF CULTURAL ACTIVITIES
- Gain introductory Tamil language skills.
- Visit Dakshinachitra (South Indian Artist Village) and the ruins at Mahabalipuram
- Visit Padavedu, a rural village project and experience , Sustainable rural development & women’s empowerment
- Visit Kapaleeshwara Temple
- Listen to a lecture on Vedanta and Hindu spirituality at the Ramakrishna Mission
- Visit a local mosque, visit a muslim orphanage & listen to a lecture on women and Islam
- Participate in a 2-day rural camp in the village of Villupuram & celebrate Pongal (A Tamil harvest festival) with the local community
- Visit the Nari Korava (Gypsy) community
- Watch a Bollywood movie at a local theatre
- Engage in lectures on topics such as: Working with families in India & U.S. – A comparative Analysis, Marital Counseling in India
- And much, much more…For a sneak peak, view a slideshow from the 2010-2011 program - CSPP India Academic Tour video.
WHY CONSIDER AN INTERNATIONAL IMMERSION EXPERIENCE?
The effectiveness of providing cross-cultural training has been proven to be successful in a variety of settings (Bhawuk & Brislin, 2000; Cushner, & Brislin, 1997; Hall & Gudykunst, 1989). Cultural competency trainings in particular have been shown to improve communication, trust, treatment regimens, and appropriateness of services. Obtaining these competencies lead to improved services and outcomes for target populations (Brach and Fraser, 2002). Even brief cultural competency trainings have been shown to improve knowledge, communication and positive health outcomes (Way & Stone, 2002).
NEXT STEPS:
1. Apply for the Immersion Program:
- Contact either Dr. Raji Natrajan-Tyagi or Dr. Jason Platt to schedule a short interview.
- Write a brief essay describing why you are interested in being a part of the Immersion Program, and email it to Brandy Bennett.
2. Send a $300 deposit to Thomas Swank by Sept 16, 2012, to secure your place in the program. Please make checks or money orders payable to Alliant International University and add "India Immersion Program" in the memo section.
Mail payment to:
Attn: Trudy Blackmon
Alliant International University
10455 Pomerado Road, M-18
San Diego, CA 92131-1799
3. If you have a passport, skip to #4. If you do not have a passport, you need to apply for one ASAP. For more information, please visit http://www.state.gov/.( It can take up to 6 weeks from the time you submit your application to obtain the passport).
4. Discuss your prospective participation in the India Immersion Program with your campus Program Director and confirm that the academic courses offered can be used to meet your program requirements. *Please note that it is crucial to have your Program Director’s approval that the electives will count towards your program credits prior to registering for the courses.
5. Start researching flights now! The destination airport is MAA (Chennai). Flights are $1400-1500 round trip. Consider arriving a few days earlier to allow yourself to get adjusted to jetlag and the new environment and/or staying a few days later if you would like to travel within India.
For all non academic questions please contact: Program Consultant Jennifer Young, PsyD.
INDIA IMMERSION PROGRAM FACULTY
Rajeswari (Raji) Natrajan-Tyagi, PhD
Associate Professor
California School of Professional Psychology
Alliant International University - Irvine
949-812-7456
Jason J. Platt, PhD
Associate Program Director
Masters in Counseling Psychology
Latin American Immersion Programs
CFT Mexico Satellite Program
California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University in
Mexico City
011 (52-55) 5264-2187
http://csppmexico.alliant.edu