CBT Therapists must fulfil the following five criteria to become a fully accredited AACBT Cognitive and/or Behavioural Therapist:
1.1 Core Professional Qualification: An approved higher education sector qualification (at least a 3 year degree) in an appropriate profession (e.g., psychology, nursing, medicine, social work, education, occupational therapy, counselling) from a recognised university is required.
1.2 Full registration or full membership with the relevant professional or registration body as specified below:
Psychology: Psychology Board of Australia
Social Work: Australian Association for Social Work
Occupational Therapy: Occupational Therapy Australia Ltd
Counselling: Australian Counselling Association Please note: Only individuals who gain ACA membership through the completion of a Higher Education sector Bachelor of Counselling degree are eligible.
Mental Health Nursing (MHN): Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia: Registered Nurse (Division 1) and Australian College of Mental Health Nurses (ACMHN): Credentialed Mental Health Nurse
Medicine: Medical Board of Australia: General Registration
Other health professions: The AACBT welcomes applications for AACBT accreditation from other health professionals. The AACBT Accreditation Committee will make decisions on the eligibility of these applications from other health professionals on a case-by-case basis.
Training, including courses and clinical placements obtained during higher education sector qualification (see Criteria 1.1), and other relevant cognitive and/or behaviour therapy training. This core CBT training will include formal training of 100 hours of university courses and/or approved workshops in a recognised model(s) of cognitive and/or behaviour therapy over at least a five year period. This may include a specialist area of CBT application.
At least 1 year of CBT clinical ‘practice’ experience since completion of the initial higher education sector qualification (see Criteria 1.1). This should include:
3.1 Professional accountability: At least 1 year of professional CBT clinical ‘practice’ experience (this may not include clinical practice during post-graduate training) since initial professional qualification (Criteria 1.1) that is accountable to a senior member of the relevant profession.
3.2 CBT Practice: AACBT Accredited Therapists should be using CBT in a systematic way as their main, or one of their main therapeutic models. Commitment to the practice of CBT should be demonstrated in the applicant’s CBT ‘practice’ in the last year (this may include clinical practice during post-graduate training). Include your current employment and how your CBT time is divided in your current employment.
3.3 CBT Experience: AACBT Accredited Therapists should have treated a minimum of 10 clients from initial assessment and conceptualisation to completion or termination of CBT during a two-year period since initial professional qualification (Section 1.1; this may include clinical practice during post-graduate training) to be regarded as having completed their training in CBT. Therapists should have completed at least three cases with different types of presenting problems. At least three clients should have been closely supervised by an experienced cognitive and/or behaviour therapist (See Criteria 4.2).
4.1 AACBT Accredited Therapists will have received 100 hours of ‘peer consultation’ (at least 50% individual supervision) in assessment and the application of cognitive and/or behaviour therapy within not less than two years and not more than five years of completion of initial higher education sector qualification (this may include clinical practice during post-graduate training).
4.2 All AACBT Accredited Therapists will have received individual clinical practice supervision during this period by an experienced cognitive and/or behaviour therapist who would also have met these minimum standards themselves, prior to providing supervision. It is preferable that supervisors will also be accredited with the AACBT.
4.3 ‘Peer consultation’ including regular feedback and discussion of cases and the use of live, audio or video-recorded cases is preferred.
Please provide a complete AACBT Accreditation Supervisors Report from a current or past clinical supervisor who can confirm the details of your CBT training and supervised practice and is an AACBT member (or member of other approved professional association/organisations).
