Certificate of Advanced Training in the 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
-
complete the formal teaching program, including:
-
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.
-
EPAs must be entrusted by a College-accredited supervisor.
-
complete case requirements of the chosen therapy modality
-
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.
-
See Certificate award process for details.
Back to top
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:
-
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
-
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.
-
See Certificate award process for details.
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.
Back to top
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:
-
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]
Back to top
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.
-
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]
Back to top
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).
-
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]
Back to top
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).
-
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.
Back to top
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
|
Back to top
Forms and documents – psychotherapies
Workplace-based Assessments (WBAs)
Resources
Please direct all enquiries to training@ranzcp.org.
Back to top