Our expert Beck Institute Faculty has been offering state-of-the-art supervision to mental health (and health) professionals worldwide, individually and in groups, since 1994. Supervision programs are conducted under the direction of Aaron T. Beck, M.D., and Judith S. Beck, Ph.D. Participants range in clinical experience and in CBT experience from beginning to highly advanced levels.
Participants remain in their home cities and receive supervision by phone, email, or Skype.
How Beck Institute supervision works
Participants initially set goals for their supervision experience. Before each supervision session, they upload a recording of a psychotherapy session or mail the recording to their supervisor. (Trainees who treat patients in a language other than English can email translated transcripts instead of session recordings.) Supervisors review the entire recording prior to the supervision session and develop a plan for that session, based on therapeutic priorities and on the participant’s level of skill and overall goals.
To model effective structure and to maximize participants’ learning, Beck Institute supervisors organize supervision sessions in the same way that therapy sessions are structured. They conduct a brief check-in, collaboratively set the agenda, establish a “bridge” from the previous supervision session to the current one, discuss the case (including conceptualization, direct teaching, guided discovery, and roleplaying), discuss other topics or patients (if time allows), help participants create an “action plan” to follow up the supervision session, and elicit feedback from the participant.
Participants may opt for 23 or 46 sessions, with supervision sessions conducted approximately weekly (full-time) or every other week (part-time).
Supervision includes the following areas:
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Conceptualizing patients according to a cognitive formulation
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Using the conceptualization to plan treatment in sessions and across sessions
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Developing a strong therapeutic alliance
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Improving therapists’ reactions to patients
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Structuring the therapy session
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Learning to effectively employ a wide range of techniques (at both intellectual and emotional levels) to meet therapeutic goals
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Monitoring and measuring patient progress
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Using the Cognitive Therapy Rating Scale to assess therapist competency
When appropriate, trainees may choose to add an additional focus, such as:
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Adapting CBT for patients with challenging problems
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Combining CBT and psychopharmacology
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CBT research
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Teaching CBT to graduate students, residents, or staff
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Supervising students or clinicians in CBT
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Tailoring CBT training for the participant’s institution
Participants generally send recordings of one patient initially. Participants and supervisors collaboratively decide when it might be beneficial to switch to different patients. In addition, supervisors help participants generalize what they have learned from one patient to other patients they are treating.
Applying for supervision
New supervision terms begin on the first of each month. Applications are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Applicants must hold at least a master’s degree in a mental health, medical or related field and have attended one of our 3-Day workshops (in unusual cases, the Education Committee may make an exception to this prerequisite provided you can document having received having received prior robust training in CBT). Supervisors are highly experienced in treating a variety of disorders—including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, substance abuse, eating disorders, schizophrenia, and many others—in child, adolescent, adult and older adult populations. If you work primarily with a specific population, please note this on your application. Having this information will help us assign you to the supervisor who will best match your needs.
Special information for group supervision
Up to four clinicians from one organization can receive group supervision. Before each telephonic supervision session, one or two therapists upload or send a recording(s) to the supervisor (and preferably to the other supervisees in the group).
For additional information on group supervision, or if you are interested in information on combination on-site and supervision training for your CMHC or clinical staff, please contact our Executive Director Dr. Julie Hergenrather.