MINIMUM TRAINING STANDARDS (EABCT) www.eabct.com
At the Half Annual Meeting in Dresden in January 1999 a Working Party was formed to develop a proposal for Core Training Standards for the practice of behavioural and cognitive therapy in Europe. The Working Party met in Amsterdam in June 1999 and presented a draft proposal at the AGM in Dresden in September 1999. Following further discussion at the Half-Annual Meeting in Granada in January this year and consultation with member associations these standards have been revised and are presented in the attached document.
The European Association of Behaviour and Cognitive Therapies is an organisation of national associations. Each of these associations is committed to the development of the clinical practice of behaviour and/or cognitive therapy in their country. Each association also accepts that basic training, clinical supervision and continued professional development is essential to the development of competent therapists and that this is an important role both for individual associations and for EABCT as an organisation.
The individual member associations of EABCT vary widely in terms of their size, organisation and aims. This is not surprising given that some associations have been in existence for nearly 30 years while others have only developed in the last 5 years. Regulations covering relatingthe practice of psychotherapy also vary across Europe with some countries tightly regulating who can and cannot practice as a psychotherapist while others have a more flexible approach to its psychotherapy practice. However, all associations do accept the need to develop a set of core training standards and guidelines that will:
- Provide therapists undertaking training in behaviour and/or cognitive therapy with the standards they will be expected to meet within their overall training
- Provide education providers with details of what they should be providing to trainees to enable them to meet the core training standards
- Provide employers of behaviour and/or cognitive therapists with an understanding of the competencies that they can expect from someone who is trained in behaviour and/or cognitive therapy
- Provide European behaviour and cognitive therapy associations with guidelines relating to the levels of training that they should aim to expect from members seeking accreditation as competent therapists
EABCT had developed of the attached Core Training Standards and these should apply to all national associations who require training at a level that provides a formal accreditation of its members as competent therapists. The Core Training Standards do not mean that an individual association cannot set a higher standard reached clinician must meet be
EABCT has now set up of a Standing Committee on Training. This committee will:
- monitor the adoption of the Minimum Training Standards across member associations
- provide information on additional training requirements and restrictions on entry that operate in individual associations and countries.
- assist newly developing national associations to develop training programmes that enable therapists to reach these Minimum Training Standards.
- assist national associations to develop training and supervision programmes that enable member associations to develop higher level training and competence.
- monitor European and national regulations relevant to the practice of psychotherapy and its training requirements that may impact on the development of behaviour and/or cognitive therapy
The Standards and the recommendations of the Standing Committee will be discussed within national associations and at a formal meeting of EABCT (Half-Annual Meeting or during the Annual Congress) on an annual basis and revised accordingly.
Rod Holland
On behalf of the Training Working Group
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1. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
1.1 The regulations governing who can practice and/or be legally recognised as a psychotherapist (including behaviour and/or cognitive therapists) vary between European countries. In some the practice of psychotherapy is restricted to specific professional groups such as clinical psychologists and psychiatrists. In other countries the range of professional who can practice, and be be accredited as therapists is broader and may include specialist nurses, counsellors, social workers and other professional groups. EABCT recognises the regulations governing each country but does not itself restrict entry to specific professional groups.
1.2. All accredited therapists recognised by national associations willusually have an approved basic qualification in an appropriate core profession and be registered with a professional regulatory body.
1.3 Therapists being considered for accreditation will have sufficient experience in working in a therapeutic role with clients.
1.4 Therapists will be using cognitive and/or behaviour therapy in a systematic way as their main, or one of their main therapeutic models.
2. LENGTH OF TRAINING
The period of training will including both basic professional training that prepares a person for work in psychotherapy in general and a period of specialist training and experience relevant to cognitive and/or behaviour therapy - professional cognitive measured period
2.1 This is a minimum standard and does not preclude a national association requiring a longer period of time to attain the core training standards.
3. THEORETICAL AND SKILLS TRAINING
3.1 The period of training qualification will include the acquisition of a critical understanding of the relevance of studies of human development; psychopathology, psychology, social issues and evidence based practice.
3.2 Specialist training in a particular model of cognitive and/or behaviour therapy, or in a specialist area of its application may focus on a specific areas of interest (e.g.. REBT, CBT with psychosis, CBT with Children,). However, all therapists will have covered a minimum curriculum that will provide a broad-based understanding of the theoretical basis of cognitive and/or behaviour therapies and their application across a range of problems.
3.3 Theoretical knowledge and skills will have been acquired through structured teaching and self-directed study. The minimum number of hours study required for the cognitive/behavioural elements of training is 450 hours of which 200 hours should be provided directly by recognised behaviourtrainers on a recognised course or an agreed programme of study.
3.4 Skills training is an essential component of the acquisition of knowledge and experience and can predominantly be developed through supervised clinical practice), skills-based workshop, observation and clinical practice. Skills training should be a significant part of a therapist's total training programme.
A record of training must be kept and this should specify the length of study, number of taught hours and a record of the lecturers, tutors or mentors participating in a therapists training.
Therapists should achieve the skills to be able to understand and interpret research relevant to the outcome and effectiveness of cognitive and/or behaviour therapy.
4. SUPERVISED CLINICAL PRACTICE
4.1 Therapists will have conducted 200 hours of supervised assessment and therapy during training.
4.2 All therapists will have received supervision during the period of training for both assessment and therapy, carried out by a competent cognitive and/or behaviour therapist. Supervision will consist of regular feedback and discussion. Close supervision should be used as part of training and will involve the use of live, audio or video materials.
4.3 A minimum of 8 clients will be treated during the period of training from assessment to completion or termination of treatment before a therapist is regarded as having completed their training. These cases will cover at least 3 types of problems and three cases will have been closely supervised as defined above.
4.4 Details of supervised clinical practice and case mix will be recorded in a training record.
5. PERSONAL THERAPY/DEVELOPMENT
5.1 The requirement of personal therapy/personal development is regulated in some European countries and therapists will have to meet these requirements where appropriate.
5.2 All therapists must ensure that they can identify and manage appropriately their personal involvement in the process of cognitive and/or behaviour therapy.
5.3 Therapists must have developed an ability to recognise when they should seek other professional advice.
6. ACCREDITATION OF COGNITIVE AND/OR BEHAVIOUR THERAPISTS
6.1 Therapists who fulfil the Core Training Standards, maintain an agreed level of continuing professional development in cognitive and/or behaviour therapy, receive regular clinical supervision and meet any additional national or legal requirements pertaining to the country in which they wish to practice, should be accredited by their national association or national regulatory body as a cognitive and/or behavioural therapist.
6.2 Associations should have, or be developing, procedures for accrediting therapists at a level which demonstrates that they have reached a higher level of competence and expertise that enables them to provide supervision or training to other or be recognised as a senior practitioner in the area of behaviour and/or cognitive therapy.
6.3 Supervisors and senior practitioners will normally have 5 years of therapeutic practice after meeting the minimum training standards and have received further training to equip them as trainers/supervisors.
7. ASSESSING CORE TRAINING STANDARDS
7.1 Therapists are expected to demonstrate an understanding of the theoretical aspects of cognitive and/or behavioural therapy and its application by the production of either a formal assessment essay, exam or research project.
7.2 An understanding of evidenced based practice should be evaluated by (i) the production of an extended case study that critically discusses the research evidence or (ii) a relevant research dissertation; or (iii) a research paper written as first author.
7.3 Supervised practice will be subjected to formal assessment with at least two case studies written up (2000 – 4000 words).
7.4. The above assessments are usually required in most formally recognised cognitive and/or behaviour therapy training programmes. For candidates who are not pursuing a training route through such a course it is important that they agree an independent programme of study and assessment with a competent therapist approved by their national association.
7.5. A record of training must be kept and this should specify the length of study, number of taught hours and a record of the lecturers, tutors or mentors participating in a therapists training.
8. TRAINING PROGRAMMES
EABCT supports the development of structured and accredited training programmes in each country that will provide trainees with a level of training and supervision to enable them to attain these minimum standards and any higher level of competence required by their national association or country
March 2001
Standing Committee on Training
Jaak Beckers, VVGT (Belgium)
Else de Haan, EABCT Secretary/Treasurer
Rod Holland, EABCT Newsletter Editor
Lennart Holm, SAKT (Denmark)
Howard Lomas, BABCP (UK)
Andreas Veith DGVT (Germany)
Sako Visser, VgT (the Netherlands)
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