Continuing education can be a great opportunity for expanding your knowledge and skills in specific areas of psychotherapy, remaining current in the field, and satisfying licensing requirements. There are a number of things to consider when selecting a continuing education course in psychotherapy. What are your professional interests or needs, available time and access to offerings, and costs.
Credits
It’s important to be sure that the courses you take will satisfy your needs in terms of credits that will be recognized. Most state licensing boards, agencies, professional associations, and private institutions—in the United States as well as internationally—recognize courses taken from institutions for psychologists and other mental health practitioners that are approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) as continuing education sponsors. Look for institutions or courses that include the following statement in their description: “…approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists.” See, for example, the Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies’ website.
Topics
What are your goals? Check with your state or association about any specific topics you must cover in your coursework. Some states require periodic coursework in child abuse and domestic violence or ethics and laws, for example.
Think also about what could build your clinical skills. Are there areas you would like to delve into more deeply and develop expertise in? Some programs allow you to earn continuing education (CE) credits that you can apply toward specialization certificates—a great way to accomplish your CE and demonstrate areas of expertise.
You may also want to sample new areas to expand your awareness and breadth. You could explore topics you’ve always been curious about but never had the time to study. Such classics as psychoanalytic psychotherapy or new fields such as neuropsychology can open your eyes to issues you may not have considered before.
Time and Cost
Many programs now offer affordable and convenient online courses. These allow busy professionals opportunities to take a variety of courses whenever and wherever their schedules allow.
We offer a variety of courses in continuing education in psychotherapy, from classical Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy to neuropsychology, and many of these can conveniently be applied toward specialization certificates.
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