Self, other, world:
An Immersive Experience for multicultural competence
Edinburgh, Scotland
September 16 - 19, 2024
The Training
“Self, World, Other is a cultural immersive intensive for helping professionals who take multicultural competence seriously.”
Self, Other, World: is an innovative training experience combining cultural competency components with real-time immersion in cultures foreign to participating providers. The goal is to close the experiential gap between learning about another culture from afar and being an active agent in a novel cultural context.
Join us for a four-day, three-night experiential odyssey to earn multicultural competence continuing education (CE) hours and get to know yourself and this incredible world a little better. Our retreats are small (limited to 10 participants) bespoke affairs with plenty of unscheduled time for exploration, additional immersion experiences, or just relaxing.
The Details
(what we’ll do, how we’ll do it)
Using Sue et al.’s (2009) well-established tenets of multicultural competence as a guide, our three-day training focuses on the following three domains:
-
awareness
Self-awareness of the provider’s own cultural worldview and attitudes towards differences and similarities of people from a specific cultural group/country.
Drs. Vanburg and Stephens will provide half-day didactics using an array of insight-building interventions (CBT, IFS, mindfulness, and reflective journaling) to identify participants' ideologies and values and how these personal lenses impact perceptions in real-time.
-
Knowledge
Providers' knowledge of different worldviews and social, political, and historical contexts of host culture helps contextualize cultural practices particularly related to mental health in that cultural group.
An afternoon “field trip” will expose participants to the host population's culture, worldview, and expectations of helping professions. We believe that experience itself can be instructional.
-
Skills
Providers will gain skills to interact, communicate, collaborate, and work effectively with specific cultural groups within a specific country.
Experiential processing groups led by Drs. Vanburg and Stephens will guide participants to understand the diverse needs of multicultural clients better, how to think flexibly about mental health, and how to apply culturally appropriate and relevant therapeutic interventions.
Meet your hosts
-
-
As a therapist, Dr. Stephens provides compassionate and inclusive counseling services to those in need. Ashley has worked with severe and persistent mental illness, substance abuse, trauma, homelessness, and has trained in a variety of therapeutic styles. Whether the client needs more structured services or an accountability partner to get through to reach their goals, clients can expect to feel supported, listened to, and cared for. Feeling heard and understood is vital and the goal is to help individuals feel safe to explore their current barriers in order to progress past them and move forward to a better tomorrow.
As a consultant and trainer, Dr. Stephens has taught courses in cultural awareness and competency, mindfulness, brain injury, and leadership development. She has coached executive leaders, managers, and front-line employees, while providing opportunities for individuals to grow in the areas of organizational development, team building, executive development, and training. She looks forward to continuing to train and teach others.Item description
-
-
-
Dr. Vanburg is a Licensed Psychologist with specialization in general mental health and trauma related disorders. She earned two B.A.s at The University of Texas at Austin and a Masters in Counseling at St. Edwards University. She received her doctorate at Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, Texas and completed internship and residency in trauma psychology at the South Texas Veteran's Health Care System (Audie L. Murphy VA). Dr. Vanburg works from a strengths-based, solution-focused orientation that celebrates collaboration, the inherent role of clients as the expert on their experience, and the importance of cultural humility. She is a practitioner and clinical researcher of mindfulness-based interventions and has authored protocols and presentations on the integration of interoceptive and cognitive-based interventions. Dr. Vanburg also currently holds certification in gold-standard trauma treatments Cognitive Processing Therapy and Prolonged Exposure.
In her therapeutic work, Dr. Vanburg uses evidence-based interventions to build personalized, brief, solution-focused programs that encourage, empower, and embolden clients to make value-driven changes and live skillfully. She is honored to work with individuals who are curiously and courageously pursuing big changes and grateful for the opportunity to help them make it happen.
-
WELCOME TO MONKTON HOUSE
Your home away from home and the site of this year’s cultural immersion experience. This gem is a 15th-century Scottish castle, the perfect base to explore Edinburgh and knock out continuing education credits for your upcoming license renewal.
There are seven bedrooms available with some flexibility in nightly rates if you don’t mind sharing. Didactics will be onsite in one of the great common rooms. Please note that while renovated, Monkton House is a 15th-century castle built as a fortified tower. Unfortunately, it is not ADA-accessible. There are no bedrooms on the ground floor and no toilet on the same floor as the reception rooms. All reception rooms are up at least one flight of steps.
Our gracious hosts invite us to sit around for a blether, explore the premises, or just rest and relax in our downtime. So whether you want to gi’ it laldy or coorie doon by the fire, there’s something for everyone at Monkton House.
Before booking please review Terms and Conditions
What’s included
“We have built a truly unique training experience to broaden both personal and professional horizons. We hope you enjoy.”
-
Ever slumbered in a castle? We’ll reside and train in a15th-century castle for this year’s Self, Other, World intensive. Many room options can be found below.
-
We have a sumptuous welcome feast planned for our first evening together. The menu will reflect the dietary preferences of attendees and local customs. Breakfast is also included.
-
A special guest joins us for our first evening. Storytelling is an essential feature of Scottish culture. We’ll hear about traditions, legends, and lore about healing, illness, grief, and mental health.
-
12 credit hours (SP-4591) through NBCC are available for participants with licenses in Social Work, Counseling, and Psychology. We’ll also give you a spreadsheet to track deductible expenses (flights, food, registration, and accommodations are deductible). We’ll give you an this itemized spreadsheet of what you invested in your education, with live cells for you to enter any additional expenses, once the retreat has concluded.
See our Agenda here! -
Our rate includes transportation to and from the cultural immersion experience on Day 2.
-
There is WiFi throughout the house, but with 7-foot thick walls, sometimes the ghosts or witches eat the signal. You’re welcome.
The full agenda can be Found here
-
![]()
Old Kitchen
-
![]()
Tavern
-
![]()
Cottage Sundial
-
![]()
Old Kitchen
-
![]()
Game Room
-
![]()
Library
-
![Kitchen]()
Kitchen
-
![]()
Dining Room
-
![]()
Fireplace
How to book
Find out how to book here
Review our room options below.
When you’ve decided which room you’d like to stay in, click the room name to find our booking page.
Please review our payment options, complete checkout, and get packing!
-
Welcome dinner and locally sourced breakfast for all three days,
12 CE hours,
The cultural immersion field trip with transportation to and from, and
Local expert lecture.
-
Your flight,
Transportation to and from Monkton House,
Dinner on nights two and three,
Lunches and snacks, and
Any add-ons you might be interested in (see below)
Before booking please review Terms and Conditions
The Rooms
Rooms are priced by occupancy arrangement. Please read the description for each. Click on the room name to book!
-
Single Participant - $2,800 USD
Double Participant - $4,800 USD ($2,400 USD per person - Two individuals book together. You and your guest will both be participating in the training for CEs)
Single Participant and Guest - $3,800 USD (Two individuals book together, 2,400 USD for participant, $1,400 for your non-participant guest)
-
This large and atmospheric room has a Tudor-style, king-size, four-poster bed. It shares a shower room with Selkie.
-
Shares the travertine-tiled bathroom with occupants in the Selkie room.
-
Single Participant - $2,800 USD
Double Participant - $4,800 USD ($2,400 USD per person)
Single Participant and Guest - $3,800 USD ($2,400 USD for participant, $1,400 for non-participant guest)
-
Large, bright, and luxurious room with king-size bed. Velvet curtains, a crystal chandelier, and an ornate gold mirror all contribute to the feeling of luxury. Shared shower room with Wulver.
-
Shares the cottage bathroom with occupants in the Wulver room.
-
Single Participant - $2,800 USD
Double Participant - $4,800 USD ($2,400 USD per person)
Single Participant and Guest - $3,800 USD ($2,400 USD for participant, $1,400 for non-participant guest)
-
This room has a comfortable, kind-size bed and walk in wardrobe. Shared shower room with Unicorn.
-
Shares the cottage bathroom with occupants in the Unicorn room.
-
Single Participant - $3,200 USD
Double Participant - $5,600 USD ($2,800 USD per person)
Single Participant and Guest - $4,600 USD ($2,800 USD for participant, $1,800 for non-participant guest)
-
This is our most luxurious suite, with king-size four poster bed, walk in wardrobe, and striking en-suite bathroom decorated in the style of Kandinsky with Jacuzzi bath and large rain shower.
-
En-suite bathroom for only Ashray occupant use.
-
Single Participant - $3,000 USD
Double Participant - $5,200 USD ($2,600 USD per person)
Single Participant and Guest - $4,200 USD ($2,600 USD for participant, $1,600 for non-participant guest)
-
This is a large and bright room with a super king-size four-poster bed and en-suite bathroom with shower/bath.
-
En-suite bathroom with shower/bath.
-
Single Participant - $2,800 USDDouble Participant - $4,800 USD ($2,400 USD per person - Two individuals book together. You and your guest will both be participating in the training for CEs)
Single Participant and Guest - $3,800 USD (Two individuals book together, 2,400 USD for participant, $1,400 for your non-participant guest)
-
The Selkie room has a king-size bed and shares a shower room with Ghillie Dhu. The walls are painted with a mural by the Boss Witch, depicting Selkies in the ocean around Scotland.
-
Shares the travertine-tiled bathroom with occupants in the Ghillie Dhu room.
Did we sell out?
Join the cancellation waitlist HERE!
We’ll be sure to notify you if we have a cancellation for the trips you specify.
Add-ons
Energetic
Kingsfield Events – Ronnie can organise mini Highland games and archery on the lawn at Monkton House.
WanderWomen, who can run fabulous nature based activities for you on the Monkton House grounds.
Fizz & Flow Yoga
In the Seven Hills Yoga
Transform Body + Mind – personal training, yoga, life coaching, mind mapping, sports massage
These are all activities that come to you at Monkton House. Whether you feel like tossing the caber, archery, yoga, massage or learning a new skill, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
Indulgent
Ewelina, massage therapist
InterCity Massage
Learning
Rebecca Holmes – Rebecca is a fabulous wedding and family photographer and also runs photography courses, both beginner and intermediate, and offers one to one mentoring.
Can to Candle – candle making workshops
Ladies Love Fragrance – not just for ladies! Perfume and home fragrance workshops
Jenny Deans Jewellery – jewellery-making workshops
Inside Out Chef – let Wendy teach you how to make delicious scones or tapas in the comfort of the Monkton House kitchen.