CBT Practice for Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist Accreditation

The requirements for Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist Accreditation are set out in the Minimum Training Standards. The Core Curriculum gives further information on the expected content of training. 

CBT clinical practice during training

You must complete at least 200 hours’ individual CBT assessment and therapy under CBT clinical supervision. 

You must use evidence-based case conceptualisation and protocols. These are described in the Core Curriculum.

You must have training in the way that the therapy is delivered. For example, face-to-face, video-conferencing or other remote methods. 

Training Cases for Accreditation

You must show that you have completed at least eight cases including assessment and treatment under CBT clinical supervision. 

The eight cases must include -

• at least two different anxiety disorder presentations 

OR

• one anxiety disorder and one trauma and stressor related disorder

AND

• one mood disorder presentation.

The interventions used for the eight training cases must be based on core CBT evidence-based protocols or formulation driven CBT treatment.

Case studies 

At least four of the eight training cases must be presented and formally assessed as case studies. Written case studies should be between 2000-4000 words. 

Some training courses will specify whether the case studies must be the same cases as the ones which are ‘closely’ supervised. To meet our standards, the case studies can cover the same ones that are ‘closely’ supervised or they can be different. 

Two of your case studies may be delivered as a ‘live’ case report or presentation using supporting information such as slides or a written summary. They must be formally assessed.

For accreditation, case studies must be marked as a ‘pass’, whether this is part of a formal programme or completed independently. The completed mark sheets for the case studies must be submitted along with the application or the assessor must sign section 3f of the application form.

All four case studies must meet our academic standards for formal assessment. When marked independently, the assessor must have recent experience of marking case studies in an academic setting. for accreditation. You can find more information in the links below.

Case Study Marking Guidelines

Specialist areas and cognitive/behavioural approaches

Part B of the Core Curriculum lists specialisms and approaches which can be included in up to half of your 200 hours CBT taught hours – see below.

They may also be used within your supervised practice and case studies during training with the following provisos –

• The majority of your training cases and case studies will be based on core CBT. This is because the interventions used for your 200 clinical hours must be based on core CBT evidence-based protocols and/or formulation driven CBT treatment. 
• However, once the training cases are completed, further clinical hours may then include approaches or specialist areas from either Part A orPart B of Core Curriculum.  
• Accreditors will assess your application as a whole to be satisfied that you have sufficient supervised practice using core CBT, evidence-based protocols or formulation driven CBT before extensively working in specialist areas and approaches.
• You, your supervisor and case study assessor, where relevant, must have received appropriate training in these areas and approaches.
• Where Part B of the Core Curriculum lists a particular presentation, training cases and case studies using these must show treatment of the named problems - eg schema therapy must be used with Borderline Personality Disorder, MBCT for preventing relapse in depression.  

Areas listed in Part B of the Core Curriculum

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for chronic pain 
• ACT for depression, mixed anxiety, OCD and psychosis 
• Behavioural couples therapy
• CBT for adult ADHD 
• CBT for bipolar disorder 
• CBT for chronic headache 
• CBT for eating disorders 
• CBT for insomnia 
• CBT for long term health conditions (chronic pain, diabetes, IBS, CFS, fibromyalgia, arthritis) 
• CBT for psychosis (CBTp) 
• CT for personality disorders 
• Cognitive behavioral analysis system of psychotherapy (CBASP) 
• Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) for EUPD/BPD 
• Mindfulness based cognitive therapy (MBCT) for reducing relapse in recurrent depression 
• Motivational interviewing, motivational enhancement therapy (MET) plus CBT for mixed substance abuse/ dependence 
• Rational emotive behavioural therapy (REBT) for depression 
• Seeking safety for PTSD with substance use disorder 
• Schema therapy for borderline personality disorder
• CBT with Children and Young People