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REAL Life Program Policies: 

Policy – General 

For all financial and payment procedures, questions and information, please contact: 

REAL Programs’ Administrator 

Tel: 604-513-9001  

Email: [email protected] 

Office Hours:  Monday to Thursday (excluding holidays)  9:30 am to 4:00 pm, Friday 9:30 am to 12:30 pm PDT/PST. 

 

Admission 

Participants wishing to join the program already in progress must attend by Session 3.  

Admission Criteria:

  • Confirmation that Informed Consent provided via checkbox in checkout (see Informed Consent information below) 

 

Attendance 

REAL Life participants will need to attend 75% (15 of 20 possible sessions) of the Program sessions and complete a self and facilitator assessment to receive a Certificate of Completion. 

 

Attendance is expected in the sessions. Participants receive a Program Outline document with dates and relevant content. 

 

Payment 

If for any reason a scheduled payment does not go through (i.e. credit card is declined), the Participant will be responsible for a $25 administration fee.  Any late payments are to be paid prior to the next scheduled payment date. We accept VISA/MasterCard or PayPal for payment of any of our programs. 

Participants using payment plan options are required to immediately update their profile with any changes of the following: 

  1. Address, phone, email and name changes. 
  2. Changes in payment method, credit card numbers or expiry dates.

Refunds / Withdrawals 

The sign-up fee of $250 is non-refundable and non-transferable. After registration but prior to the program sessions commencing, the participant will be responsible for a $500 administration fee. 

 

Once the program commences, and up to session 2 , the participant will be responsible for 30% of the program cost. After session 2 but before session 6 of the program being provided, the participant will be responsible for 50% of the overall program cost. After session 6 of the program has been provided, the participant is responsible for the full program cost. 

 

Policy – Conduct and Dismissal 

 

Clearmind REAL Life Participants are always expected to: 

  1. Maintain respect for Persons and treat all Participants and staff with respect. 
  2. Attend the program in accordance with the expectations set out in the program. 
  3. Refrain from any disruptive or offensive behaviour; in person, online, or through CM provided social media channels used by participants and staff. 
  4. Refrain from bringing any alcohol or any prohibited mood-altering substances to the sessions. 
  5. Refrain from being under the influence of any recreational mood-altering substances during sessions.  
  6. Refrain from making inappropriate remarks concerning another Participant’s or staff’s ethnicity, race, religion, gender, disability or sexual orientation. 
  7. Respect other participants chosen gender pronoun. 
  8. Refrain from any other conduct which is determined to be detrimental or damaging to the other participants, staff members or CM. 
  9. Be respectful with use of cell phones and electronic equipment, etc., that disrupt classes and CM activities.   

 

We recognize that participants are coming to the REAL Life program to learn, and so we do expect some mistakes to be made, which are addressed as learning opportunities for the participant and others taking the program. Dismissal from the program can result from serious incidents such as those listed below if incidents are found to be irresolvable or result in serious or potential harm. 

 

Clearmind International finds the following violations serious and if substantiated, any of the following will result in immediate dismissal without a warning letter or probationary period: 

  1. Sexual assault or sexual abuse. 
  2. Endangering the emotional, mental or physical health of another participant, staff or fellow participant 
  3. Deliberate physical, mental or emotional assaults. 
  4. Stalking or predatory-type behaviour (in person or online). 
  5. Discriminatory or bias-related acts. 
  6. Theft of property.  
  7. Harassment in any form (in person or online). 

 

Concerns related to a participant’s conduct shall be referred to the program facilitator. 

Unsuitability for the Program 

Given the psychotherapeutic nature of the program, maintaining psychological safety for all participants is paramount.  If a facilitator has concerns regarding a participant’s emotional ability to handle the program (which become evident after the participant has enrolled), or if a participant has been found to violate another’s psychological safety in some way, or if a participant is disruptive in the session, there is the potential for that participant to be dismissed from the program. Before such an occurance, every effort will be made to come to a resolution of the difficulty, through a meeting with the facilitator. If no resolution is agreed to between participant and staff, the participant will receive a letter of dismissal from the program effective immediately. 

 

 

Policy – Privacy 

 

Clearmind International Institute Inc. (CM) collects participants’ personal information for the following reasons: 

  • To maintain correspondence with participants during the program. 
  • To distribute relevant Clearmind program information to participants (i.e.: through email, newsletter). 

 

Participants’ personal information is not used for any other purpose. 

 

The REAL Life Program will only retain registration information in support of program payments and completion information.  

 

The REAL Life Program is not a career training program, and as such CM does not retain participant files. 

 

Confidentiality Agreements 

All participants are expected to make and keep the confidentiality agreements of their class. This includes refraining from using ANY identifying information when discussing other Clearmind participants outside of Clearmind.  If you have made a mistake and broken confidentiality, please reach out to the facilitator of the session or other event (i.e.: workshop) immediately, so that we can address the error appropriately.  

 

Your Facilitators, as professional therapists, are ethically bound to confidentiality, and may only break confidentiality if they believe that what has been shared puts someone at significant risk of harm. This is particularly relevant if what has been shared indicates a child is at risk. 

 

E-Mail Policy 

The email address that you provide to Clearmind, must be a private email address, it cannot be a shared email box, i.e.: with another family member or partner. The reason for this is that it is used for the Program Delivery System (PDS) and is therefore part of the confidentiality agreement made by all program participants. 

 

Session Recordings 

The theory portion of sessions will be recorded for those who might miss the session. You need to be aware that any questions you post in the chat, or ask during the session, would be part of the recording. The recording would be accessed only by your cohort and would not be used externally. 

 

Personal Information Protection  

Clearmind willingly follows the Personal Information Protection  and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) as well as the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). Under these Acts, no personal information may be shared with other participants, members of the public or other organizations without your consent, unless there is a health and/or safety issue. 

 

Clearmind participants have the right to inspect and review their records and have the right to challenge records when they are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of their privacy rights. A participant may have access to any registration, program completion and payment information by requesting in writing from the REAL Program Administrator ([email protected]). 

 

 

Informed Consent Information 

 

What this Program is: 

  1. Experiential 

This is an experiential therapeutic program as well as an educational one. This means that you will be invited (not forced) to take emotional risks, to reveal thoughts/feelings/experiences that you might not normally share with a group. Rather than simply ‘talking through’ an issue, you may be invited to participate in creative exercises designed to help you come to a new experience, a new way of seeing or dealing with the issue. We will do our best to explain the reasoning behind interventions. However, if you do not understand the rationale behind a particular exercise being suggested to you, please ask for further clarification. 

Many exercises will be offered to you throughout the program, designed to increase your level of understanding of yourself and your relationship dynamics. As outlined further below, there are risks and benefits associated with participating in the therapeutic process. You always have a choice about engaging in any exercise suggested to you. Please talk to your facilitators if you have concerns about participating. 

2. Group Process 

Group work is our chosen therapeutic format because it is highly effective and efficient. Human beings are happier, healthier and live longer when we have strong relationships. Conversely, much of our psychological pain comes from disconnection from ourselves and others. Group process, with its many opportunities for connection, is a powerful form of intervention and learning. 

Group process has inherent issues, one of which is group pressure. Human beings are social animals, and our survival as a species has depended on us ‘fitting in’ and playing our role within the greater group. All involved in the program must remain vigilant against the tendency to either exert or conform to group pressure. For this reason, we tend to guide participants away from offering advice or concrete suggestions. Instead, we focus on supporting people to contact what is true for them.  

The nature of group work is that you may find yourself exploring emotional territory you did not deliberately choose to enter. This might happen as a result of someone sharing their personal story. It might happen when you relate to a particular element of the theory being presented and discussed. Be aware that your self-exploration will be powerfully influenced by group members. 

3. Transpersonal 

Finally, we are operating from a particular theoretical paradigm based on positive and transpersonal psychology. Transpersonal, meaning ‘transcending the personal’, can be loosely translated as ‘spiritual’. We hold the context of viewing the ‘universe’ as a ‘friendly place’. Our transpersonal draws on the philosophy of A Course in Miracles and Buddhist mindfulness approaches, even though we may or may not explicitly reference these. You need to be aware of this, particularly if you have firmly held beliefs (i.e. religious) that may conflict with what we present. It is not our need that you “buy into” this paradigm, but we do ask that you “try on” the concepts to make an informed decision about what fits for you. 

What to expect from the REAL Life Program: 

REAL Life is a stretch, mentally and emotionally, a stretch that may feel quite uncomfortable at times. Over the course of therapy, clients sometimes feel worse before they feel better. The same may be true for REAL Life, as it is a group therapeutic experience. You may feel overwhelmed, at times, as you seek to understand yourself in light of the information you are being presented with. For this reason, a structure for personal support is built into the program. However, REAL Life is not intended to replace personal therapy; it is an educational relational-intelligence building program. If you consistently find yourself in distress, please seek extra support through our ongoing support groups or individual counselling. If you require additional help, please feel free to contact your facilitators for appropriate referrals.  

There is far too much content in this 20 session program for any human being to master in a lifetime. When you complete, you will not be ‘healed’; you will have learned how to navigate your relationship system and continue growing and evolving. Be patient and realistic with yourself as you embark on this journey. You will tend to get out of this program what you are willing to put into it. Your facilitators will ‘meet’ you, support you and help. As in therapy, there are no guarantees in this process. However, REAL Life fosters the relational intelligence necessary for an exciting life-long adventure of self-discovery, service, and leadership. 

  

What to expect from your Facilitators: 

Your Facilitators are in the unique position of being facilitators of your personal process and educators. As educators, we commit to delivering the content of the program. As facilitators, we are sensitive to the ongoing process of program participants. Sometimes, the process will override the content, and we will take extra time for personal work in the session. Sometimes the need to deliver content will override the process, leaving someone in a certain degree of emotional discomfort. The result of this dance is that the schedule you have been provided may undergo some adjustment. 

Your Facilitators are available to answer questions. If you want a response by a particular facilitator, please indicate that by putting their name in the subject line. Your Facilitators are not counsellors on call, but they will check for messages regularly. Please do reach out in case of a genuine emergency. 

Please note that while you will have consistent primary Facilitators, there will be times when substitute or guest Facilitators will be invited to conduct sessions.  

 

Confidentiality: 

Everyone in your cohort will agree to confidentiality. This means that although you may share your experience in REAL Life, you may not share names or identifying features of other participants. Confidentiality applies to all Clearmind forums, and to the online sessions. This confidentiality agreement is essential to creating a safe place to take emotional risks. Your Facilitators, as professional therapists, are ethically bound to confidentiality, and may only break confidentiality if they believe that what has been shared puts someone at significant risk of harm. Your Facilitators hold information confidential within the boundaries of the program as a whole. This means they may debrief with other Facilitators or Supervisors as needed to support program participants. 

It is harder to guarantee confidentiality in a group of people not professionally bound to confidentiality. For this reason, we encourage each participant to treat their agreement to confidentiality as a sacred oath. Talk to the facilitators if you have made a mistake or have concerns about someone violating the agreement. 

Confidentiality applies to emails, forums and online sessions. We ask you to be aware of protecting the confidentiality of your fellow participants across all these areas. The theory portion of sessions will be recorded for those who might miss the session. You need to be aware that any questions you post in the chat, or ask during the session, would be part of the recording. The recording would be accessed only by your cohort and would not be used externally. 

Here are some summary tips for getting the most out of your experience: 

  1. Think critically about what you read and are exposed to in session. Don’t take your facilitators’ word for what is being presented. Instead, “try on” the concepts, and compare them to your own experience. Feel free to ask questions, but don’t argue with your facilitators; argue with yourself. 
  1. Talk about these concepts and your experience with family members and friends. Take it home with you, in words and deeds, and share. To avoid isolating yourself from loved ones, don’t compartmentalize what you are learning. 
  2. Keep up with your readings and do the suggested exercises and activities. If your goal is to make this learning a part of you, you must make an effort to integrate it into your work and life. 
  3. Hand your work in on time. You will feel better about yourself. Your actions impact the whole program, and the system will work most efficiently if you do your part. 
  4. Share with your fellow participants. Share your challenges and triumphs and extend help to your session mates. Both will introduce you to new aspects of yourself. 
  5. Take emotional risks. Getting the most out of the program personally involves being willing to open up.  

Distinction Between CMI and CMUK for Workshop Purchases

Clearmind International Institute Inc and Clearmind UK Trainings Ltd are affiliates but “separate” companies operating in two different countries: Canada and UK respectively.

For compliance reasons, no credits, refunds, gifts, vouchers, transfers, or payments can be shared between the two companies under any circumstance.

 

Accounts Receivable Issues – Bad Debt

If you’ve participated in one of our programs and/or workshops and have outstanding fees owed, we want to work with you to clear that up. Life happens. We get it. When this situation arises, our office staff will make every attempt to contact you and arrange for a mutually agreeable payment of fees owed. If we are unable to reach you after multiple attempts, then we will need to remove you from any participation in current or future workshops and programs, this includes receiving support, being permitted to perform assisting or shadowing roles, registering for assistants training, or participating within e-groups. Once the debt has been fully paid, these restrictions will be removed. If no attempt is made to clear the balance, the outstanding amount will be referred to a collection agency.

 

Proprietary Information:

You understand that the teachings, processes, audio-visual material of works, and other material containing proprietary information, originating from or through Clearmind International or its founders, may be used solely for personal use and is not to be distributed without permission.