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  4. Certificates of Advanced Training
  5. Psychotherapies

Certificate of Advanced Training in the Psychotherapies

Psychotherapies

This page contains information about the Certificate of Advanced Training in the Psychotherapies. The requirements apply to trainees and
Fellows-in-training as detailed below.

Training requirements

Trainees undertaking a Certificate of Advanced Training program and Stage 3 of the Fellowship Program concurrently must follow the requirements for both programs.
The Certificate of Advanced Training in the Psychotherapies will be awarded upon successful completion of the formal teaching program, EPAs and case requirements of the therapy modality as described below. All Fellowship requirements must be completed in order to be eligible for award of the Certificate of Advanced Training.

The Certificate of Advanced Training in the Psychotherapies cannot be completed in less than 2 calendar years. The Certificate must be completed within 6 calendar years including any breaks in training, part-time training or
not-in-training time.

Pre-Fellowship trainees:

  • must be in accredited training posts

    • Trainees are to submit a Stage 3 Generalist end-of-rotation In-Training Assessment (ITA) Form for their accredited rotation post in order to have their training time recorded towards Fellowship.
      .Stage 3 Generalist mid-rotation ITA Form [PDF; 430 KB]
      .STage Stage 3 Generalist end-of-rotation ITA Form [PDF; 479 KB]

      • Trainees are to indicate that they are completing the Certificate of Advanced Training in the Psychotherapies by checking the 'Cert AT Psych' box and their rotation's area of practice box at the top of the ITA Form.

      • End-of-rotation ITA Forms must be submitted within 60 days of the completion of each rotation.

  • complete the formal teaching program, including:

    • core program – 40 hours or equivalent (including self-directed learning)

      • Stage 3 trainees may request recognition of an accredited core program completed prior to entering the Advanced Training Certificate. Trainees must enter the Advanced Training Certificate within 1 calendar year of completing the core program.

    • modality program – 120 hours or equivalent

      • Completion of both the core program and the modality program needs to be signed off by the Director of Advanced Training (DOAT) or program coordinator on the Psychotherapies checklist & sign-off [PDF, 176 KB].

      • The teaching program can be undertaken while on a break in training depending on the arrangements with the course provider and with the employing health service, where relevant.

  • attain eight Stage 3 psychotherapies EPAs (see below)

    • Seven psychotherapies EPAs are mandatory for Certificate completion, trainees are to choose an additional EPA to attain from the remaining psychotherapies EPAs.

      • Pre-Fellowship trainees must attain two EPAs per 6-month FTE rotation in order to progress towards Fellowship. The EPAs attained do not need to be the psychotherapies EPAs as trainees may not be undertaking case work at all times. Trainees may choose to attain any of the eligible Stage 3 EPAs for the purpose of achieving Fellowship.

        • Fellowship (FELL) EPAs can be attained in any rotation, whereas area of practice (AOP) EPAs can be attained in the relevant area of practice only, e.g. trainees are eligible to attain adult AOP EPAs in adult psychiatry rotations only.

        • Trainees completing the Certificate of Advanced Training in the Psychotherapies are eligible to attain the psychotherapies AOP EPAs in any rotation.

      • The required eight psychotherapies EPAs must be attained by the completion of the Certificate program.

    • ​EPAs 1–4 (FELL) must be completed before trainees attempt the area of practice (AOP) EPAs.

    • A minimum of three WBAs are required to contribute to the evidence base for each required EPA.

      • Attainment of an EPA is confirmed on the signed Confirmation of Entrustment (COE) form for that specific EPA. In addition, entrusted EPAs must also be recorded on the Stage 3 Generalist end-of-rotation ITA Form.

    • EPAs must be entrusted by a College-accredited supervisor​.

  • ​complete case requirements of the chosen therapy modality

    • All required case summary forms must be received by the College in order for the Certificate to be awarded. Submission of a signed Psychotherapies checklist & sign-off does not supersede the need to submit all case summary forms.

  • submission of Psychotherapies checklist & sign off.
    .Psychotherapies checklist & sign off  [PDF; 176 KB]

    • To be signed by the trainee, DOAT and SATPsy Chair as declaration and confirmation that the trainee has satisfactorily completed the requirements of the Certificate training program.

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Fellows-in-training:

  • must have their position reviewed and approved by their DOAT to ensure they can  fulfil the requirements of the Certificate program.

    • There is no need for Fellows to submit an ITA Form at the end of each 6-month period.

    • Progress in the Certificate will be measured through the submission of EPA Confirmation of Entrustment (COE) forms and the case summary forms required by the therapy modality.

  • complete the formal teaching program, including:

    • core program – 40 hours or equivalent (including self-directed learning)

      • Fellows may request recognition of an accredited core program completed prior to entering the Advanced Training Certificate. Fellows must enter the Advanced Training Certificate within 1 calendar year of completing the core program.

    • modality program – 120 hours or equivalent

      • Completion of both the core program and the modality program needs to be signed off by the DOAT or program coordinator on the Psychotherapies checklist & sign-off [PDF, xx KB].

      • The teaching program can be undertaken while on a break in training depending on the arrangements with the course provider and with the employing health service, where relevant.

  • attain eight Stage 3 psychotherapies EPAs (see below)

    • Seven psychotherapies EPAs are mandatory for Certificate completion, Fellows are to choose an additional EPA to attain from the remaining psychotherapies EPAs.

      • There is no need to attain two EPAs for each 6 months of training as Fellows may not be undertaking case work at all times. The required eight psychotherapies EPAs must be attained by the completion of the Certificate program.

      • It is recommended that EPAs are completed throughout the course of training as they demonstrate attainment of competencies and progression.

    • EPAs 1–4 (FELL) must be completed before Fellows attempt the area of practice (AOP) EPAs.

    • A minimum of three WBAs are required to contribute to the evidence base for each required EPA.

      • Fellows must identify the three (or more) WBAs that contributed to the EPA's attainment on the COE form. There is no need to submit the WBA forms to the College.

      • When an EPA is attained, Fellows must submitted the signed COE form to the College. (EPAs are not recorded on an ITA Form.)

    • EPAs must be entrusted by a College-accredited supervisor​.

  • ​complete case requirements of the chosen therapy modality

    • All required case summary forms must be received by the College in order for the Certificate to be awarded. Submission of a signed Psychotherapies checklist & sign-off does not supersede the need to submit all case summary forms

  • submission of Psychotherapies checklist & sign off.
    .Psychotherapies checklist & sign off  [PDF; 213 KB]

    • To be signed by the Fellow, DOAT and SATPsy Chair as declaration and confirmation that the Fellow has satisfactorily completed the requirements of the Certificate training program.

All trainees and Fellows-in-training are able to apply for variation to the normal requirements on the grounds of exceptional circumstances. Applications must be made prospectively to SATPsy in the first instance.
​For more information or to submit an application contact training@ranzcp.org.

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Psychotherapy modalities

There are four modalities within the Certificate of Advanced Training in the Psychotherapies.
Trainees/Fellows-in-training complete the formal teaching program and case requirements of one of the following modalities only:

Trainees wishing to change modalities part way through the Certificate should liaise with the DOAT and if required, escalate to SATPsy on a case by case consideration.

Individual dynamic psychotherapies

Trainee/Fellow-in-training to complete all of the following:

  • 20 hours of infant or toddler observation with at least 10 hours of individual or group supervision.

  • Three long cases:

    • one case seen twice per week for 2 years¹; and

    • two cases seen once per week for 1 year (can be the same case over the 2 years).

      • Brief vignettes are required at the conclusion of the three long cases addressing: the patient's presenting problem, formulation, psychotherapy treatment approach and outcome.

      • If the same case is seen weekly for 2 years, vignettes should be submitted at the end of year 1 and year 2.

  • Eight short cases.

    • Brief vignettes are required at the conclusion of the short cases addressing: formulation, therapeutic alliance, progress and termination.

    • Cases are required in at least two of the following modalities:

      • cognitive–behavioural therapy (CBT)
      • application of family/systems therapy
      • focal/short-term psychotherapy

      • group psychotherapy.

    • If three of the eight required short cases are complete and submitted, then the Stage 3 Fellowship psychotherapy requirement is considered met.

  • 80 hours of direct case supervision², either individual or group.

    1Exemptions to the twice-weekly case requirement will be considered in exceptional circumstances. SATPsy, in consultation with the DOAT, may approve a less intensive requirement with equivalent hours of case work and supervision in certain situations.

    2For trainees, this psychotherapy supervision is in addition to the clinical supervision (4 hours per week over 40 weeks for full-time trainees) required for Stage 3 of the Fellowship Program.

.Individual dynamic psychotherapies – long case summary form [PDF; 155 KB]
.Individual dynamic psychotherapies – short case summary form [PDF; 154 KB]

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Structured and brief psychotherapies

Trainee/Fellow-in-training to complete all of the following:

  • At least six patients with anxiety disorders; one case of each main anxiety disorder diagnosis to be
    treated.

  • At least five patients with affective disorder.

  • At least three other patients – may include a variety of primary diagnoses where CBT may be used to target a well-defined problem.

  • The number of sessions shall be whatever is required to treat the patient effectively.

  • A case formulation that outlines antecedents, maintaining factors and target problem(s) is required before commencing treatment and should be submitted at the conclusion of treatment, together with a brief review of the progress of therapy and any learning points.

  • Outcome measures must be used at least pre- and post-treatment for all patients.

  • Supervision3 is required at a minimum of every two sessions.

    • At least two sessions are to be recorded (audio or video) and presented in supervision.

  • If at least three patients from the above case requirements are complete, then the Stage 3 Fellowship psychotherapy requirement is considered met.

    3For trainees, this psychotherapy supervision is in addition to the clinical supervision (4 hours per week over 40 weeks for full-time trainees) required for Stage 3 of the Fellowship Program.

​.Structured and brief psychotherapies – case summary form [PDF; 158 KB]

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Group psychotherapies

Trainee/Fellow-in-training to complete all of the following:

  • 20 hours of group observation. A group(s) must be observed in their workplace or in a natural setting, e.g. at childcare, in the community, for at least 30 minutes at a time totalling 20 hours with equivalent supervision.

  • One individual case, seen once per week for 1 year (at least 40 sessions).

  • One group case, seen once per week for 1 year (at least 40 sessions).

    • De-identified vignettes (<500 words) are required at the conclusion of both year-long cases addressing: the patient's presenting problem, formulation, psychotherapy treatment approach and outcome.

  • Two groups, psychodynamic or structured, occurring weekly for 16 weeks. (Can be the same group for 32 weeks.)

    • Brief vignettes are required at the conclusion of both groups addressing: formulation, therapeutic alliance, progress and termination.

    • If the same group is seen for 32 weeks, vignettes should be submitted at week 16 and week 32.

  • Individual supervision4 is required on a weekly basis during case work.

  • If the two 16 week groups (of the same group for 32 weeks) are complete, then the Stage 3 Fellowship psychotherapy requirement is considered met.

    4For trainees, this psychotherapy supervision is in addition to the clinical supervision (4 hours per week over 40 weeks for full-time trainees) required for Stage 3 of the Fellowship Program. 

.Group psychotherapies – long case summary form [PDF; 152 KB]
.Group psychotherapies – short case summary form [PDF; 158 KB]

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Family and couples therapy

Trainee/Fellow-in-training to complete all of the following:

  • 12 cases with weekly individual supervision5 (80 hours):

    • three cases of family therapy: child (at least five sessions each)

    • three cases of family therapy: adolescent (at least five sessions each)

    • three cases of family therapy: adult (at least five sessions each)

    • two cases of couples therapy (at least five sessions each)

    • one case of longer-term therapy (at least 20 sessions).

      • Brief vignettes are required at the conclusion of each case addressing: formulation, therapeutic alliance, progress and termination.

  • 20 hours (of the 80 hours required) must be directed observed (‘live’) or co-therapist.

  • If at least three cases of family and/or couples therapy (of at least five sessions each) are complete, then the Stage 3 Fellowship psychotherapy requirement is considered met.

    5For trainees, this psychotherapy supervision is in addition to the clinical supervision (4 hours per week over weeks for full-time trainees) required for Stage 3 of the Fellowship Program.

.Family and couples therapy – case summary form [PDF; 173 KB]

The requirements listed here were approved by the Subcommittee of Advanced Training in the Psychotherapies (SATPsy) on 11 September 2015; amended 1 July 2016.

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EPAs

.Psychotherapies EPAs and COE forms [PDF; 300 KB] (combined document)

EPA number

EPA title

EPA

COE

ST3-PSY-FELL-EPA1
Mandatory

Foundational use of supervision and co-management approaches in psychotherapy.

EPA

COE

ST3-PSY-FELL-EPA2
Mandatory

Foundational assessment and treatment planning.

EPA

COE

ST3-PSY-FELL-EPA3
Mandatory

Foundational management in psychotherapy.

EPA

COE

ST3-PSY-FELL-EPA4
Mandatory

Research skills in psychotherapy.

EPA

COE

ST3-PSY-AOP-EPA5
Mandatory

Advanced use of supervision and co-management approaches in psychotherapy.

EPA

COE

ST3-PSY-AOP-EPA6
Mandatory

Advanced assessment and treatment planning.

EPA

COE

ST3-PSY-AOP-EPA7
Mandatory

Advanced management in psychotherapy.

EPA

COE

ST3-PSY-AOP-EPA8

Introductory training in supervisory skills in psychotherapy.

EPA

COE

ST3-PSY-AOP-EPA9

Advanced presentation skills in psychotherapy.

EPA

COE

ST3-PSY-AOP-EPA10

Formal research in psychotherapy.

EPA

COE


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Forms and documents – psychotherapies 

Workplace-based Assessments (WBAs)

Resources


Please direct all enquiries to training@ranzcp.org.

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