1st day: “If you are going to San Francisco….”

Flight to San Francisco International Airport – Pick up Rental cars - HW 101 south to Palo Alto - drive through downtown Palo Alto and Stanford Palm Drive – arriving at hotel – check in – preparation meeting (information about program changes, surprises…) and welcome dinner at the restaurant next to the hotel


2nd day: „The Pacific Ocean and the South Peninsula“

Through the hills of the South Peninsula to Big Basin State Park (Giant Redwood Trees) - Lunch in Boulder Creek, a small U.S. town in the middle of the woods – Boardwalk and the Pacific Ocean in Santa Cruz (Sea Lions, Pelicans, Waves, Surfer dudes, Fish, Crab...) – along scenic Highway 1 north to Half Moon Bay – stop at the beach for sunset – dinner at Barbara’s Fish Trap in Half Moon Bay (after dinner surprise possible!)


3rd day: “The Golden Gate and the North Peninsula“

Driving north along the San Andreas Fault (watch for Earthquakes!) to San Francisco – Golden Gate Park (watch for Buffalos!) – San Francisco Beach (watch for waves and more surfer dudes) – lookout to the Golden Gate – Baker Beach – Golden Gate Bridge and another “Wow Spot” at Marina Park – through the Eucalyptus woods to Muir Beach – Lunch at the Pelican Inn (English Country Pub) – Beach Walk – Sausalito (Arts and Crafts, ships, coffee and a sunset over the city) – evening in the City of San Francisco


4th day: Stanford University

Breakfast in downtown Palo Alto - get an inside look of what it is like to study psychology at Stanford University when we tour the campus and visit the Department of Psychology

  • 9.00 Campus Tour
  • Meeting with Ian Gotlib (Clinical Psychology) on “Depression and Psychotherapy”
  • Meeting with Philip Zimbardo (Social Psychology), one of the leading psychologists in the U.S. on “The perception of Time”
  • 12.00 lunch on Campus
  • 2.00pm join Stanford students for an outstanding class in Psychology
  • Coffee and cheese-cake at Stanford Shopping Mall (best mall in town)
  • Dinner in Palo Alto

5th day: VA - Hospital in Menlo Park

Experience Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy in Practice when we visit the Homeless Veterans Rehabilitation Program at the VA Hospital in Menlo Park. Discussion with the clinical team will follow live Group Therapy sessions (Morning session, phase change, double and triple column)

  • 8.30 — 12.00 therapy sessions
  • 12.00 lunch at the VA hospital
  • 1.00pm — 3.30pm therapy sessions and open questions forum
  • 3.30 coffee break and staff meeting
  • (5.00 surprise)
  • Dinner in Palo Alto


" ... there is no place left to go - San Francisco nights"

The Eagles


6th day: "Stanford Children’s Clinic”

  • 9.00 — 12.00: Visit the Stanford Children’s Clinic and its outstanding program for anorectic kids and their families — meet with Hans Steiner, Anne Shapman, James Lock and other members of the therapeutic staff, to discuss the various treatment settings at the clinic

  • 12.30 lunch in Palo Alto
  • Free afternoon for shopping, coffee, bookstores….
  • 7.00pm big surprise party

7th day - morning: “The Mental Reseach Institute - at the roots of Systemic Family Therapy”

Visit the MRI in Palo Alto, where Systemic Therapy was born. Wendel Ray, a former director of MRI will bring the history to live at the place where it all started. Discuss the current research and training opportunities with Sophie Suberville, the current director of MRI.

7th day – afternoon: “Narrative Therapy in the Bay Area”

Visit the Family Therapy and Training Center of the Bay Area Family Therapy and Training Association in Cupertino. Meet with Marie Nathalie Beaudoin and discuss the latest developments in narrative approaches to Family Therapy. Join a training session with the training staff and the students of the BAFTC.


 8th day: “University of California in Berkeley”

  • 10.30am walk through the campus where Cognitive Psychology was born
  • Meet with the Faculty of the Department of Cognitive Psychology, Social Psychology and Clinical Psychology
  • 1.00pm Phil and Carolyn Cowan on Family Psychology (“When Partners become Parents”)
  • 2.30pm discuss the challenging issue of "Burn Out in Health Professions" with Christina Maslach, an internationally recognized expert on this topic
  • Watch the sun set over the Golden Gate and see the lights of the City from Treasure Island
  • Dinner in San Francisco

 9th day: „The City of San Francisco“

HW 101 north along the Bay to San Francisco – Treasure Island and a spectacular view of the skyline of San Francisco – through the streets of San Francisco - Financial District - China Town - Little Italy - Russian Hill - Lombard Street - Telegraph Hill – along the harbour to “Peer 39” – “Height Asbury” – dinner in the City


10th day: “There is no place left to go….”

Shopping in Palo Alto, check out and a last drive up north — to the airport

(Program is subject to changes)