Practicum Details

Information for Attendees

We are looking forward to seeing you at the Practicum! This webpage should answer most of your questions about the event. Please read all the info and text Brian with any questions:

  • Brian (617) 970-0049


DATES

We meet Wed-Sat 9am-5pm at St Matthews Church, and Sun 9am-1pm at Brian’s home. All days are required.

2024

INTERMEDIATE PRACTICUM

  • Module 6: Oct 2nd-Oct 6th, 2024

2025

BEGINNER PRACTICUM

  • Module 1: Jan 29-Feb 2nd, 2025

  • Module 3: Oct 1-5th, 2025

ADVANCED PRACTICUM (Module 6)

  • Module 7: Apr 9th-13th, 2025

  • Module 9: Oct 15-19th, 2025

LOCATION

wed - sat (9am- 5pm)

St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church

3281 16th St, San Francisco, CA 94103

Enter on 16th Street in main church entrance. The church will be open from about 8:45am on.


sun (9am- 1pm)

Brian’s home

50 Seward St, San Francisco, CA 94114 - Use Apple or Google Maps to find. If taking MUNI go to the Castro St Station and follow walking directions - it’s about a 10 minute walk (note that in one part it is a significant walk uphill- wear appropriate shoes). There’s typically plenty of street parking if you drive. Uber and Lyft are always an option as well! You can carpool or to save money take muni to Castro station and catch a Uber or cab from there.


  • EATING / DRINKS

  • We kindly request you have breakfast before we start, and reserve eating to snack breaks. We take least 1 break in the morning and 1 in the afternoon. We also take a 75 minute lunch break starting around 12:30-12:45. Please try to keep the kitchen closed during other times. You are welcome have a beverage with you during the training period.

  • Usually a group (or groups) of us go out together for lunch. There are a lot of great restaurants in the area. If you prefer to bring your own lunch you can eat at the church or take it to the park during the break.


WHAT TO BRING

  • If you’re a local student or TA we greatly appreciate if you bring a table!

  • Bring comfortable clothes you can move in. You don’t have to wear exercise clothes or yoga pants - jeans or slacks are ok as long as comfortable. Just know we will be moving around and stretching at different times.

  • Bring a pen & notebook or other device to take notes on.

  • Bring Warm clothes/layers: SF has strange weather! Temperatures vary from a low of 40’s into a high of 70’s. Bring layers! You might want to be in short sleeves one hour and a sweater the next. You might want a coat at night as well.

  • Bring a water bottle if you’d like to have one handy (we will provide some bottled water in cups)

  • We provide snacks and teas but bring anything special you might want to eat; there’s a fridge for snacks and lunch but you can’t cook in the facility. There are many eateries nearby.

WHAT NOT TO BRING

  • Pets - we love animals but the facilities will not allow them

  • Scents - please refrain from wearing perfume / cologne and other strong scents as some participants have chemical sensitivities

  • Mood or Mind-Altering Drugs - including cannabis or other psychedelics etc It is against the APTA code of conduct to provide polarity therapy services under the influence.

PRIVATE SESSIONS

  • Out of town guests are encouraged to schedule private sessions to fulfill your 5 session requirement while you are in town.

  • Brian is giving sessions on a limited basis. $200 per session.

    Our Teaching Assistants who will be in attendance also are available for sessions at a sliding scale rate of $100-$150. Text the person you want to work with directly to reserve a time: We will announce TA’s prior to your Practicum.

  • Scheduling priority goes to out of town participants but they are available to Bay Area students as well for 1 discounted session at the rates noted.

COVID-19 PROTOCOLS

We are following San Francisco Department of Public Health requirements for indoor gatherings. There are no testing or masking requirements for this practicum. However, we request that if you have any symptoms you get tested and refrain from attendance.


ABOUT THE AREA

The training is located in the Mission District of San Francisco, a very lively neighborhood with lots of great things to eat, see, and do. Some highlights:

  • Dolores Park is an amazing place with beautiful views. Great place for a picnic lunch!

  • 18th Street from Mission Street to Castro Street - highlights BiRite Creamery (best ice cream), and BiRite grocery (expensive but good organic options), Tartine (amazing bakery - worth the wait on line). Many taquerias.

  • The Valencia Corridor runs from 14th St to 24th St. on Valencia Street, and is the main thoroughfare for restaurants, shops and cafes. Highlights: Boba Guys (amazing teas), Shizen (gourmet vegan sushi), Burma Love (great Burmese food), Udupi Palace (South Indian Vegetarian Food), Curry Up Now (innovative Indian quick eats), Indochine Vegan (vegan place), Big Lantern (classic Chinese food, great vegan options), Dandelion Chocolate (if you want great hot chocolate!), Taqueria Buen Sabor (a good “hole in the wall” taqueria) many more.

  • The Castro is SF’s gay neighborhood, and has many good shops and restaurants - walk up 18th Street to Castro Street. Pasta Panino is a good reasonably priced Italian place. Wasabi Bistro is pretty good sushi. Many coffeeshops.

  • Beyond the Neighborhood: Classic tourist sites include Union Square, Chinatown, North Beach, Fisherman’s Wharf, Haigh-Ashbury, Alamo Square, Golden Gate Park, Golden Gate Bridge. Take the Cable Car on the Hyde Line to see the best sites. Taking a drive up to the top of Twin Peaks provides great views of the city. Contact Brian if you want to arrange a trip up there one evening.

  • Golden Gate Park: AIDS Memorial Grove, DeYoung Museum, Japanese Tea Garden, Botanical Gardens, are wonderful.

SAFETY:

  • San Francisco has its share of homeless people, and many are mentally ill or drug addicted. To stay on the safe side, it is best to simply avoid them if they try to engage you. Most are not dangerous but don’t take any chances.

  • The Mission District on the whole is very safe, but as with any urban center, please take precaution at night or when walking alone. The sketchiest area is 16th Street & Mission near the BART station and east of there (going towards Capp/ S Van Ness). Mission Street in general is more run down and has more homeless people than other streets. Valencia, 18th Street, Dolores Park, are safer places to explore.

  • The Tenderloin is a part of the city to avoid — running between Van Ness and Mason, and between Mission and O’Farrell. It is “skid row” with many addicts and homeless people. While not necessarily dangerous, it has a lot of poverty and addiction. Some of this spills over into Union Square which is mostly a tourist zone with many hotels and shops, though downtown has been a bit depressed since the pandemic with a lot of stores closed.

GETTING AROUND:

  • Walking - SF is very walkable. Just take precautions around the neighborhoods noted above - if you have any questions ask Brian. There are also many hills! Be prepared with good shoes.

  • UBER or LYFT - Easiest options to/ from the airport and to get around the city. Average fare is about $35-$40 but depends on demand.

  • TAXI - taxi’s from the airport are usually around $50. If a Lyft or Uber is trying to charge more, try the taxi stand instead.

  • BART - a high speed commuter rail type train - the cheapest option to/from the airport. There are stops in the Mission at 16th St (close to the training) and also downtown at Civic Center & Powell St. Powell St. is the main stop in the City Center / Union Square.

  • MUNI - the subway (occasionally runs above ground too) - good for getting around the city

  • Buses - SF has an extensive Bus system that is pretty good. Google maps and Apple Maps can tell you what line to take.

  • Cable Cars - a fun tourist thing to do - take the Hyde Line for the best views.

  • F Train - vintage street cars from many different cities run up and down Market Street - another good thing to do while in the city as a tourist… runs all the way from the Castro to Fisherman’s wharf.