Metaphysical Practitioner Education Programs
Explore the spiritual purpose, professional qualifications, academic expectations, internship standards, and practical preparation that guide CIAMSS practitioner education.
Education for Metaphysical Service
The purpose of the Metaphysical Practitioner Education Programs is to train, educate, and prepare prospective leaders for certification as metaphysical healing practitioners, teachers, ministers, and pastoral counselors. The programs also support preparation for psychic practitioners, spirit mediums, past-life regression facilitators, and holistic healing practitioners.
This preparation is designed to produce graduates who are spiritually and functionally equipped to begin the practice of metaphysical healing, teaching, counseling, and ministry. Persons who are not planning to become metaphysical practitioners are also welcome to attend.
Metaphysical healing occupies an important place in the programs. Ministerial students are expected to complete the healing program before licensing and ordination. Healing practitioners, teachers, and leaders are expected to understand the principles and techniques involved and to apply them responsibly in connection with their work.
Spiritual Purpose
The activities of New Awareness Ministries are united under one primary purpose: learning and expressing what it means to live a spiritually centered life.
CIAMSS seeks to bring awareness and clarity to what a spiritually centered life means in everyday living. From this perspective, it means thinking metaphysically and spiritually about all of life, relating the whole of one’s life to a Higher Power, and learning to bring a consciousness of that indwelling force into every life situation.
The Professional Metaphysical Practitioner
The metaphysical healing profession and the metaphysical/spiritual ministry are professional activities for people who have been called and educated to help others live spiritually centered lives. The qualifications below guide the curriculum and the preparation of CIAMSS students.
CIAMSS practitioner education provides a context in which students learn to think metaphysically, ethically, and spiritually about all of life, live a spiritually centered life, and help other people do so responsibly and creatively in a professional manner.
Consciousness and Skills
Spiritual Consciousness
CIAMSS believes that the consciousness and skills of the healing practitioner are rooted in a spiritually centered life. Primary value is placed on nurturing an awareness of inner spirituality through meditation, affirmations, prayer, and personal processing.
Practical Application
Students are encouraged to relate faith and metaphysical principles to specific life situations in a practical way and to address the central issues of their own lives effectively.
Curriculum Integration
Metaphysics, history, counseling, healing arts, and communications are planned to help students develop both professional consciousness and practical competence.
Practice and Experience
Skills are acquired through knowledge and practice. The curriculum provides opportunities to develop healing, nutrition, speaking, counseling, leadership, and management abilities.
Individual Education Programs
For information about individual CIAMSS or NAMI degree and certification programs, including required courses, internships, and graduation standards, contact:
Dean of Education
College of Inner Awareness, Metaphysical and Spiritual Studies
P.O. Box 8611
Seminole, FL 33775
Standards of Graduation
The right of graduation from a CIAMSS education program is granted when the student provides evidence of being prepared to practice the chosen profession. This evidence extends beyond time spent in training and completion of designated courses.
Readiness emphasizes spiritual, mental, and emotional maturity; devotion to a life of service; metaphysical, spiritual, and intellectual clarity about the profession; demonstrated skill in working with people; the ability to organize one’s life; and an understanding of the administrative responsibilities appropriate to the chosen field of service.
Graduation from a CIAMSS education program does not mean automatic certification. Students who successfully complete the prescribed course of study receive the appropriate degree and/or educational credential. Individual internship programs are customized with the student’s CIAMSS advisor, and approved service hours may be converted to credit hours and entered on the official transcript.
Internship and Certification
Students may begin an internship after the first year of coursework is completed. If accepted, the student spends the internship period developing skills and demonstrating ability under the supervision of a faculty advisor, certified healing practitioner, or ordained minister. Upon successful completion and recommendation, the student may receive certification from NAMI.
Registration and Grading
Undergraduate Students
- Register for the internship program.
- Receive an evaluation from the Department Chair or Internship Coordinator on papers and presentations.
- Apply internship credit to general electives rather than required major courses.
- May receive one to six credits depending on the internship.
- The Registrar’s Office converts the evaluation to Credit or Fail.
Graduate Students
- Register for the internship program.
- Receive an evaluation from the Department Chair or Internship Coordinator on papers and presentations.
- May receive one to fourteen credits depending on the internship.
- The Registrar’s Office converts the evaluation to Credit or Fail.
Working Time and Internship Proposal
Working time: Hours worked are recorded on the provided time summary sheet and verified by the supervisor’s signature.
Internship proposal: Students submit a one-page proposal describing the internship objectives and anticipated learning outcomes. Credits are determined at the beginning of the internship with the Department Chair or Internship Coordinator.
Reflection Journals
Students submit three reflection papers, normally two to five pages, at regular intervals. The papers describe the internship experience and connect the student’s work to CIAMSS principles, classroom concepts, mentoring, practical learning, and personal development.
Students should also address the original objectives of the internship and explain any revisions that become necessary as the experience develops.
Portfolio Creation
- Keep copies of all work, from informal notes to final projects.
- Retain relevant information issued by the field administrator.
- Keep copies of positive feedback from colleagues or supervisors.
- Maintain a list of projects completed and clients served.
- Keep notes about what was done, when it was done, and how the work was organized.
Supervision
Distance learners must work with a field supervisor whose credentials are appropriate for the student’s level and area of study. Credentials are evaluated and approved individually.
- The intern cooperates with CIAMSS in identifying an approved supervisor.
- The intern meets regularly with the field supervisor for oversight of internship activities.
- The intern also maintains contact with the CIAMSS supervisor.
- Distance learners may conference with the CIAMSS supervisor by email or phone.
- Site visits may be scheduled when feasible.
- Both the field supervisor and CIAMSS supervisor complete evaluations.
- Additional meetings may be scheduled when concerns or placement issues arise.
Final Presentation
At the completion of the internship, students prepare a ten-minute presentation about the internship experience. The presentation may include six to ten slides, video, or a detailed booklet and is presented to a group that includes the Department Chair or Internship Coordinator.