After the Introductory Session and between sessions, students are encouraged to assist at workshops for further experience and do case studies. The program comprises only 2 sessions a year in order to help students with their finances and the need to get time off work. The workshops are scheduled to include a weekend in order to make it as convenient as possible.

The Program is a comprehensive training of hands on work with Companion Animals such as dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, etc. The training consists of 2 sessions a year lasting between 5 & 6 days, for 3 years. The approximate cost of each session is R4200. This varies on the Dollar/Rand rate.

NOTE: Any money paid can be used in the future towards another TTACT training if for some reason you miss the training. This does not apply to cancellations 24 hours prior to the start of training..

Many people ask what are the “hidden” costs. It would be things like buying equipment and books; some people like to “budget” a certain amount for trainings and then add to their “tool kit” each time. Also, you might want to join us in the catered lunches. We have a great Caterer who does a packed lunch for reasonable price. I will be sending info on this closer to the time

For those of you coming from out of town and don’t have someplace to stay, we will try to match you up with another JHB participant who has space for a guest. We usually suggest that the guest contribute to the cost of food as well as transport. Otherwise we will help you find a guesthouse or some other arrangements. So don’t worry, there will be help in this regard! At the moment, we have a great B & B where the horse trainings take place at Donnybrook Stables. They can be contacted via the website at http://www.donnybrook.co.za/ or email Dieneke on dieneke@donnybrook.co.za or phone 083-326-3007.

You may be wondering what TTACT stands for? It’s Tellington Touch Animal Companion Training and is the designation for the Practitioner Training Program for Companion Animals. The IV means that it is the fourth such program in South Africa. So it will always be TTACT IV, Intro and then TTACT IV, session 2, etc.

WHAT DOES THE TRAINING INCLUDE:

We endeavour to help the student to be proficient and confident in the TTouch work. To this end we have a program that we believe gives a steady hands on experience for the best results. That includes such things as:

• A combination of TTouch techniques, including: Bodywork, use of the Body Wrap, understanding and use of equipment, groundwork exercises for dogs, how to read Canine body language, how to best communicate and much much more!

• After session 2, the TTouch student is required to do 5 case studies between each session, 15 in total. This is to ensure that the student is doing and experiencing the work as well as getting feedback on what they are doing.

• After session 2, each student receives a Mentor who is available to help him with these case studies and any question he might have about how to handle a particular situation.

• At session 2, we begin to take students to a Shelter to work on both cats and dogs. This is to give you an opportunity to experience as many different animals as possible. It also allows us to give back something to the animal community. (Please note that if anyone has an objection to going into the shelter, and we realize that it is hard for some, there is no obligation. There is always an alternative to work with the kennel or your own animals instead.)

• At session 3, we start to introduce Client Days. This is a morning where we set up Clients and their dogs for you to help in a safe and supported environment.

• In general, the course is very much a hands on training giving you a great variety of experience with as many animals as possible so that at the end of 6 modules you feel confident to handle the clients and cases that come your way.

• TTACT students are encouraged to assist at workshops given by fully Certified Practitioners. This is a great learning experience and invaluable to the learning process.

• This program is about helping you communicate with animals, giving people an alternative method of working with both animals and people, our human relationship with the animal world and giving you the tools to do all of these things. The program is dynamic, creative and yet very practical so that the work is clear and easy to understand.

  Our Instructors all come from overseas and are the best in the world. One of the beauties of this program is that the same people teach it worldwide and so the information doesn’t get filtered down through many hands. The Instructors include Linda Tellington Jones (creator of TTouch), Robyn Hood (Linda’s sister and brilliant teacher), Edie Jane Eaton (also a Feldenkrais Practitioner) & Debby Potts (teacher par excellence). If we’re lucky we might also experience Sarah Fisher from England and Bibi Degn from Germany. They run the Training Programs in those countries as Eugenie does in South Africa.

 At the end of 2 years, if you have done your case studies, you will acquire the Status of Practitioner–In–Training and are then able to charge for one-on-one consultations with clients.

Please do call me if you have any questions at all about the Program. I’m really looking forward to getting to know you all!

Thanks and I hope you meet you very soon!

Eugenie Chopin, Tellington TTouch Practitioner III for Companion Animals

Tel: 011 884-3156, Fax: 011 783-1515

Email: mailto:echopin@icon.co.za