Education & Training
This section is dedicated to advancing the knowledge, skills, and professional development of psychotherapists at all stages of their careers. Explore resources, guidance, and innovative practices that support ongoing learning and the highest standards of psychotherapy.
20 articles found
Society for the Advancement of Psychotherapy (SAP) Board of Directors Meeting Recap
The Society for the Advancement of Psychotherapy (SAP) Board of Directors recently gathered in Scottsdale, Arizona, for an intensive two-day business meeting to set the course for the division in 2025 and beyond. Our discussions centered on visioning our current directions, strengthening our strategic priorities, addressing emerging challenges in the field of psychotherapy, and enhancing […]
Amy E. Ellis, Ph.D.
March 31, 2025
THE BREAKERS BREAKING. THE SEAGULLS SQUAWKING
During the Closing Hours of 2024 The last time the Republican Party (GOP) controlled the Senate, House, and Presidency was from January 20, 2017 to January 3, 2019, during which time Donald Trump was President of the United States having being inaugurated on January 20, 2017. With this historical context in mind, the 118th Congress struggled […]
Pat DeLeon, Ph.D.
January 7, 2025
Education in Suicide Prevention Should Be Required in the Training of All Healthcare Psychologists
Over the last 20 years, the rates of suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and suicides have rapidly increased in the United States (Garnett & Curtin, 2023). At the same time, evidence has developed that interventions can effectively reduce the risk of suicide (Calati et al., 2018). Given these changes, it is time for APA to require […]
Samuel Knapp, Ed.D., ABPP + 1 more
November 22, 2023
Bronfenbrenner and Psychotherapy: A Tale by an Emerging Clinician
I was inspired to write this piece by my postdoctoral mentor, Joanna Drinane, who asked about the integration of my two programs of study. To make a long story short, I achieved my PhD in Human Development and Family Studies some years ago and joined the Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Program at the University […]
Rochelle C. Cassells, PhD
November 22, 2023
Patient Suicides: Preparing Students for Difficult Challenges
Having a patient die from suicide is one of the events most feared by psychotherapists, yet a recent survey found that 6% of psychologists had at least one patient die from suicide while in treatment in the last year (Leitzel & Knapp, 2021). The ongoing possibility of a patient’s suicide prompted Simon (2011) to write […]
Samuel Knapp, Ed.D., ABPP
November 22, 2023
Psychotherapy Practice over the Lifespan
As members of the Professional Practice Committee of the Society for the Advancement of Psychotherapy, we are tasked with meeting the needs of private practitioners. In our monthly meetings, we noted how the needs and experiences of practitioners change as one matures into the role of a psychotherapist. Since our committee has a diverse combination […]
Genée D. Jackson, PhD + 3 more
November 22, 2023
Considerations in Trauma-Informed Training
In this article, we propose a trauma-informed lens as an essential ingredient of clinical competency. We draw from established trauma theory and research (e.g., Levine, 2010; Mate & Mate, 2022; Menakem, 2017; van der Kolk, 2014), including that specific to graduate and postgraduate supervision (e.g., Courtois, 2018; Knight & Borders, 2018; McChesney, 2022) to explore […]
Rebecca A. Burwell, PhD
November 22, 2023
The Impact of Dobbs v. Jackson on a Client’s Well Being and the Therapeutic Relationship
On June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court decided on Dobbs v. Jackson’s Women’s Health Organization, overturning 50 years of the landmark Roe v. Wade decision, which previously protected the right to healthcare privacy and abortion. States now have the right to set their own abortion laws, which vary enormously between states. For example, under California […]
Deanna Young, PsyD + 2 more
October 29, 2023
When is Quantitative Evidence Actually Useful for Day-to-Day Psychotherapy Practice? Why Unsystematic Qualitative Evidence Reigns Supreme
In this article, I will argue that quantitative evidence is not very useful to the practicing psychotherapist and instead most day-to-day clinical decisions are based on unsystematic qualitative evidence. I imagine this argument will be obvious to some in clinical practice and considered blasphemy against clinical science for others. It is a realization I have […]
David Disabato, Ph.D.
October 27, 2023
Examining goop by Gwyneth Paltrow through a Disordered Wellness Lens
Celebrity, actress, and touted “wellness guru” Gwyneth Paltrow has been active in Hollywood for the past 34 years. Since opening her online storefront, goop, in 2008, the company has cultivated a net worth of 200 million, produced a popular podcast, and created a Netflix documentary. Gwyneth was a very successful actress prior to opening goop, […]
Katarina Williams + 1 more
October 22, 2023
让受督导者知道成长的路长什么样|督导中的教育
原文链接：https://societyforpsychotherapy.org/an-important-aspect-of-educational-orientation-in-psychotherapy-supervision-providing-supervisees-with-a-conceptual-framework-for-understanding-their-own-therapist-development/ 亲爱的督导师，还记得你开始做咨询的青涩模样吗？ 我这么说对吗？ 我是不是很差劲啊？ 我能成为一名胜任的咨询师吗？ …… 如果那时候你的督导师告诉你，这些感受都是正常的，告诉你成为有效能咨询师需要经历的过程包括种种种种，你会有什么感觉呢？ 现在作为督导师，你有没有想过可以做点什么，让你的受督导者更安心地成长，不必重蹈覆辙？ 我们来看看C. Edward Watkins博士是怎么做的。 新手治疗师需要安全的学习空间 在我的督导工作中，大部分受督导者是刚刚担任治疗师的博士生。他们要么没有咨询经验，要么经验十分有限。就像Chessick (1971)指出的，刚刚从教室走向临床实践的治疗师通常会面临三个问题： 1 学习在治疗早期过程中控制焦虑感； 2 发展作为治疗师的认同感； 3 形成一种信念，相信心理治疗是可行且有效的治疗手段。 刚开始的这段训练期的学生通常能最敏锐地发现自己实践上的缺陷，非常容易受挫，因此这段时期可能会很艰难。此时的关键在于创造一个安全的学习空间，让新手治疗师能够自如地去应对困难，而不会因为犯错受到惩罚。 安全的学习空间的理论基础 如何创造这个空间呢？我的基本思路主要来自治疗师发展理论及其相关研究，还有成人学习理论及其应用。基于这个认识，在开始新督导前我思考的首要问题是： 当下如何创造一个安全的学习空间，才最能满足特定受督导者的学习需要？ 在创造学习空间时，我坚信最好的出发点是对受督导者进行全面的教育性指导(如督导目标，督导师和受督导者的角色)。许多国家都将教育性地指导受督导者视为重要的督导胜任力之一(例 Pilling & Roth, 2014)，因为它使督导过程变得清晰明了，促进了概念化理解，并且还会促进督导双方的协作。通常，受督导者充分了解时状态最好，因此我希望接受我督导的学生尽可能从一开始就完全了解督导过程(例如通过建立督导协议、讨论、角色介绍等方式)，希望他们能更加有效地利用督导，在这个过程中更积极主动。 安全的学习空间的前提–教育取向的督导 教育取向的督导中有一个非常值得强调的重要方面——概念化。这里概念化的意思是：受督导者理解自己作为治疗师成长历程的框架。作为督导师，我首先想给受督导者提供一个发展性的概念化框架。我相信在教育性督导中这一点很容易被忽略或轻视。这一步能够极有力地促进督导的开始，同时增强受督导者的学习能力——相信他们在自身成长过程中，能更好地理解遇到的异常和变化，并且在当下更有效地反应。 Orlinsky和Ronnestad(2005), Ronnestad和Skovholt(2013), Skovholt(2012), Stoltenberg和McNeill(2010)的研究都够告诉我们，在督导中要重视以下事项： 1、用发展的眼光看问题； 2、在督导中整合发展的眼光； 3、提供一个发展性的基本原则和框架来定位治疗师／受督导者的成长过程。 他们的工作一方面研究了治疗师在发展职业自我或治疗师身份时所经历的演变过程，另一方面鉴别或提示了能够刺激治疗师发展的督导行为。Hess等人(2008)认为：“如果督导是教育性的，那么就非常有必要发展一个督导的教育过程模型”。他们发现，关键部分是帮助受督导者更好地理解自己当下的治疗师成长过程。 从成人学习理论的视角来看(Knowles et al., 2011)，对督导过程的教育能够解答受督导者学习中体验到的困惑，并增加他们对过程的掌控感；同时，对过程准备的教育能减轻受督导者的焦虑并让他们提前做好准备，帮助受督导者未雨绸缪(Skovholt & Ronnestad, 2003)，对于如何在督导中进行阐述与协作成竹在胸。 Frank和Frank(1991)的助人和疗愈关系的概念框架也可以被推广用于督导之中。在这个模型中，那些寻求心理治疗帮助的人正处于心力委顿、心烦意乱的抗争阶段，通常可以从这三个方面获益：1.与一个受到认可的助人者，在一个精心设计的助人设置中，进入一段充满信任的关系；2.得到一个能够帮助他们理解自身困扰的适应性解释/概念图式，并看到解决方法；3.与助人者积极合作，展开一套基于概念化的行动(Budge & Wampold, 2015; Wampold & Budge, […]
Luyao Ma, MS + 4 more
October 2, 2023
Psychotherapy and Climate Change
We were just teenagers when Earth Day first came about on April 22, 1970. We remember the special celebrations and visions of hope. Fast forwarding to over 50 years later in April 2023, the frightening climate-related nightmares envisioned in the 1970’s, have become our current reality. In most countries, factories are no longer allowed to […]
Barbara J. Thompson, Ph.D. + 2 more
April 18, 2023