Ego State Therapy Seminar 1: 8-10 April 2026
Ego State Therapy Seminar 2: 3-5 August 2026
Ego State Therapy Seminar 3: 20-22 October 2026
Ego State Therapy Seminar 4: 7-9 December 2026
Please note: The seminars must be attended in consecutive order.
Eligibility Criteria for the training programme
Licensed Psychologists, Medical Doctors and Individuals working in health-related fields
Caveat: Admission decisions are subject to the final approval of Dr. Woltemade Hartman
Seminar 1. An Introduction to Ego State Therapy: Safety, Stabilisation and Grounding
Ego State Therapy was developed by Dr John and Helen Watkins from the United States. The Watkins’ did not conceptualise the ego as one monolithic entity, as Freud did, but rather as consisting of parts, or so-called ego states. Their theory was based on the original work of Paul Federn, a close associate and colleague of Freud. Federn conceptualised ego states as shifting energies within the personality. John and Helen Watkins formulated a theory and treatment model for what became known as Ego State Therapy. Ego states are neurophysiological manifestations of the autonomic nervous system response that may develop in response to specific life experiences, both positive and negative. Ego States are usually activated hypnotically to reach those ego states that are implicit and not readily available to conscious awareness. It is therefore a very suitable intervention strategy for posttraumatic stress reactions, dissociation as a result of trauma, as well as for a variety of psychosomatic diseases. In this first workshop, Dr Hartman provides an in-depth overview of the theoretical basis of the ego state model, its epistemology, and the latest developments in the neurobiological foundations of ego states, trauma, and dissociation. Dr Hartman will explain the relevance of Stephen Porges's Polyvagal Theory to the Ego State Model and discuss how Somatic Experiencing Techniques could be incorporated into Ego State interventions. Additionally, Dr Hartman will discuss and demonstrate how safety and stabilisation techniques from Trauma Therapeutic Yoga (TTY), Somatic Experiencing (SE) and Energy psychology, amongst others, should be utilised. The primary focus will be on how to utilise verbal pendulation techniques during the first interview, how to induce trance safely and how to access safe body experiences to stabilise the client before treatment can commence. Techniques such as the Inner Strength Technique and the utilisation of metaphors will be demonstrated and practised. Designed for both beginners and the more experienced practitioner, this workshop will also feature live clinical demonstrations. The training utilises a lecture-demonstration-practice format. Hence, the training is a stimulating blend of theoretical, vicarious, and experiential learning. This workshop is the first in a series of consecutive workshops which lead to internationally recognised certification as an ego state therapist by Ego State Therapy International (ESTI).
Seminar 2. The activation of and work with resourceful ego states
Probably the most significant difference between ego state therapy and other parts approaches to the human personality is the fact that the ego state approach conceptualises the personality of a human being not only as consisting of dissociated ego states, but also of resourceful ego states which help us to self-regulate and to function as an integrated whole in everyday life. Ego State Therapy is a powerful tool for assisting clients to plumb the best of their own personalities and directly tap resourceful ego states associated with determination, survival, resiliency, hope, optimism, and love, which ultimately allow clients to flourish. In this second workshop, participants will primarily learn techniques to enhance experiential activation of resourceful ego states by combining Ericksonian and Ego State Therapy. Ego States are usually activated hypnotically to reach those ego states that are implicit and not readily available to conscious awareness. However, in this workshop, the focus will be on activating ego states through hypnotic and non-hypnotic techniques. Dr Hartman provides an in-depth overview of how to communicate effectively with resourceful ego states and utilise them within the therapeutic context to the client's overall advantage. Designed for both beginners and the more experienced practitioner, this workshop will also feature live clinical demonstrations. The training utilises a lecture-demonstration-practice format. Hence, the training is a stimulating blend of theoretical, vicarious, and experiential learning. This workshop is the second in a series of consecutive workshops which lead to internationally recognised certification as an ego state therapist by Ego State Therapy International (ESTI).
Seminar 3: Activation and work with symptom-associated ego states
It is a known fact that some ego states (parts of the Self) are “split off” in the face of trauma to “help” the individual to survive and cope, and then continue to “carry” some of these symptoms on an intrapsychic level. Ego State Therapy addresses these symptoms by providing unique ways to access these states, also referred to as symptom-associated ego states, and to restore self-regulation, physiological and psychological flow and coherence. In this second workshop, Dr Hartman will mainly focus on ways to allow highly aroused survival energies, such as fight-or-flight responses bound up in traumatised individuals and dissociated ego states, to be discharged and completed, thereby facilitating self-regulation, flow, re-integration, and post-traumatic growth. Ways to achieve corrective mind-body experiences and to recreate wholeness, self-regulation, and coherence in our clients will be demonstrated through live demonstrations. The training utilises a lecture-demonstration-practice format. Hence, the training is a stimulating blend of theoretical, vicarious, and experiential learning. This workshop is the third in a series of consecutive workshops which lead to internationally recognised certification as an ego state therapist by Ego State Therapy International (ESTI).
Seminar 4: Activation and Work with Trauma-associated ego states
Ego states can be described as enduring states of mind. Once a state of mind has occurred, it can be recalled frequently depending on the circumstances. Repeated activation of a state of mind over weeks, months, and years makes it more likely that it will be activated again in the future. Thus, Particular states of mind may develop cohesion and clusters through their repeated activation. They may therefore develop into “self-states” or ego states. When confronted by trauma, some individuals’ nervous system reacts to such an extent that they dissociate into an immobilised freeze state or submit mode. This happens without conscious awareness. Before the individual becomes aware of what happened, the nervous system has already responded. The result could be the formation and processing of specialised “selves” or traumatised ego states in a state of freeze. In this third workshop, Dr Hartman will mainly focus on ways of accessing dissociated, traumatised ego states, how to interview them and how to work with them therapeutically. Special emphasis will be placed on the role of a trusting therapeutic relationship and its importance in reengaging the ventral vagal system. Traumatised ego states are often beyond the threshold of conscious awareness and frequently need hypnotic activation. Dr Hartman will also demonstrate how immobilised clients and their ego states can be freed from tonic immobility using activation-, stimulation-, mobilisation-, breathing-, and pendulation techniques, thereby facilitating self-regulation, flow, wholeness, and post-traumatic growth. This will be demonstrated through live demonstrations. The training utilises a lecture-demonstration-practice format. Hence, the training is a stimulating blend of theoretical, vicarious, and experiential learning. This workshop is the fourth in a series of consecutive workshops which lead to internationally recognised certification as an ego state therapist by Ego State Therapy International (ESTI).
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