• Introduction
• Learning Goals
• Dates, Locations & Fees
• Entrance Requirements
• Training Faculty
• Assessment & Certification
• Course Process and Content
• Reading
• Would you like to visit New Zealand?

Introduction

The Primary Certificate is the beginning qualification in Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy. The New Zealand Certificate covers the same curriculum as similar programmes in other countries, but adds content specifically relevant to practice in New Zealand, and uses an innovative three-stage approach that provides a high level of knowledge and skills acquisition.

The overall purpose of the Primary Certificate is to provide helping professionals who already possess basic counselling skills with an introduction to the principles and practice of Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy, that will enable them to begin practising REBT at a basic level.

The Primary Certificate is granted at two levels. Most people will complete level ‘A’: the Primary Certificate (Theory and Practice) which involves submission of a taped interview for assessment. Some, though, may choose level ‘B’: the Primary Certificate (Theory), which requires only completion of a short ‘at-home’ examination paper.

Granting of a Primary Certificate does not imply the holder is able to practice REBT independently at an advanced level; but indicates they have been able to (1) show they have an understanding of the basics of REBT theory and (2) in the case of level ‘A’, they are able to apply REBT techniques at a beginning level.

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Specific learning goals

When training is completed, trainees will be able to:

• Describe key elements of REBT theory:

  causation of emotional & behavioural problems.

  nature of irrational thinking & alternatives.

  main philosophical foundations.

• Compare REBT with other methods of psychotherapy.

• List the areas to which REBT may be applied.

• Describe how it may be applied to several selected problems such as depression and anger.

• Discuss issues involved in using REBT within a bicultural society, and with differing client populations.

• Define specific problems in REBT terms.

• Use REBT on themselves by analysing their own emotional & behavioural reactions.

• Demonstrate, in the case of level ‘A’, that they can practice REBT with clients safely and with a basic level of effectiveness, especially using the ABC model.

• Engage in future self-directed learning about the application of REBT to a range of problems, through reading, using audio- or video-tapes, and supervision.

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Dates, Locations & Fees

You can start the preparatory stage of the Primary Certificate at any time, but the course officially begins six weeks before the practicum. It is best to start as early as possible before the practicum you plan to attend.

The Centre plans to present between one and three practicum each year, in separate locations and at different times. To find out what practicum are being offered in the coming year, go to the Professional Training page.

Each practicum is limited to 12 participants.

For details of fees and cost of set text, go to the Registration Form page.

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Entrance requirements

For Professional Certificate

• A professional qualification in psychology, counselling, medicine, social work, nursing, occupational therapy, or other profession relevant to counselling/psychotherapy; or
• Clergy who can submit evidence of specialised training and background in counselling; or
• Other relevant helping professionals who are licensed to practice by a professional organisation (e.g. full members of NZASW, NZAC, certified marriage guidance counsellors, etc.).

For Paraprofessional Certificate

• Students, clergy and other allied helping professionals who do not meet Professional Certificate requirements will complete the same course and receive a Paraprofessional Certificate.
• The Paraprofessional Certificate may be upgraded to the Professional Certificate if the holder becomes qualified at a later stage.

General entrance requirements

Some experience in using basic counselling or interviewing skills is required, as these will not be taught on the course (participants need to already feel comfortable in interview situations with clients).

Participants also require an understanding of ethical issues in working with people in a helping role, especially:

• confidentiality
• respect for the client and their culture
• maintenance of appropriate boundaries
• bicultural practice (for New Zealand participants) or multicultural practice (for participants from other countries).

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Training Faculty

Practicum presenter:
Wayne Froggatt. Dip.Soc.Wk., C.Q.S.W., MNZASW, Cert. Adult Teaching; Associate Fellow, Institute for Rational-Emotive Therapy (New York); Certified REBT Supervisor. For background about Wayne Froggatt, click here.

External Moderator:
Stephen Palmer. PhD. Director, Centre for Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (London); Associate Fellow, Institute for Rational-Emotive Therapy (New York); Certified REBT Supervisor; Chartered Psychologist. Author of many books on REBT and stress management. For background about Professor Palmer, click here.

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Certification & Assessment

The program is certificated by the New Zealand Centre for Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy, in association with the (United Kingdom) Centre for Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy, London. The Certificate is recognised by the Association for Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (UK).

Assessment will consist of:

• For level ‘A’: submission of a taped interview for supervision, accompanied by an analysis/formulation of the case in REBT terms. (A selection of tapes may be assessed by the external moderator in London).
• For level ‘B’, completion of an examination paper.
• Participants who fail the assessment will have opportunities to repeat the work involved (submission of repeat work for assessment will attract an additional charge to cover the time involved for the assessor, as will extensions of time).

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Process and Content

Part I – (home study)

Theoretical study using the provided manual, set text and additional readings, with some practice of the basic intervention model on oneself (not clients, at this stage). This section commences six weeks before the practicum. Topics to be covered:

• History of REBT.

• Causation of emotions & behaviours.

• Nature of irrational thinking.

• The goals of therapy & REBT philosophy.

• Intervention principles & overview.

• The process of therapy.

• Applications & modalities of REBT.

Part II - (practicum)

Four day block. Theoretical issues studied on Part 1 will be clarified as needed, and applied to actual practice (which will be supervised).

Mornings

• Theory refresher and clarification of any issues.

• Demonstrations.

• Practice work in small groups.

• Discussions on the application of REBT to specific problems such as depression, anger, etc.; and use with specific populations such as couples, children and adolescents, groups, people from differing cultures, and so on.

• Throughout the practicum (and indeed the whole course) participants will be encouraged to relate all they are learning to their own typical client group.

Afternoons

• For the first three days, participants will practice the stage of the REBT process they have learned that morning. This will be live work, using material presented by another trainee/partner.

• This work will be supervised within the group, and trainees will receive guidance on gradually improving their technique.

• The afternoon sessions on days 1-2 will run (approximately) 1.00-3.45pm for half the participants and 3.45- 6.30pm for the other half to allow time for supervision requirements to be met. Participants are requested to be available for either group. On day 3, all participants will work as one group till 5.00pm.

• On the fourth day, the afternoon will be used to clarify any outstanding points, and prepare participants for Part III. Finish time will be 3.30pm.

Other work outside of the set programme

• Participants will carry out a behavioural exercise, to be completed and written up by the morning of day 4.

• It would be wise for participants to allow time in the evenings to review any practice issues with which they had difficulty during the day, so they are adequately prepared for their next practice session.

Important points about practicum times

• To receive a certificate, full attendance at all seminars and relevant supervision sessions is required.

• Participants are requested to be available for either supervision group, unless there are exceptional circumstances.

Part III – (application practice & assessment)

• Further reading.

• Practice with clients in the participant’s own practice setting (at least 6 sessions of practice with clients).

• Submission of the assessment materials as described earlier.

 Stage III will take between six and ten weeks.

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Reading

Required reading is: Froggatt, Wayne (2001). Learning to Use Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy. Hastings: Rational Training Resources. (Supplied with enrolment package)

Highly recommended reading is: Walen, Susan R., DiGiuseppe, Ray, & Dryden, Windy. A Practitioner's Guide To Rational-Emotive Therapy. (Second Edition). Oxford University Press, New York, 1992. (If you have not already ordered or obtained this book, you can order it direct from the internet.

Suggested reading - try to take a look at one or two of the following:

• Bernard, Michael. Staying Rational in an Irrational World. Lyle Stuart, New York, 1986. Highly recommended. Available through interloan and in some bookshops.
        
• Ellis, Gordon, Neenan & Palmer. Stress Counselling: A Rational Emotive Behaviour Approach. Cassell, London, 1997.
      
• Froggatt, Wayne N. Choose to be Happy (2nd Edition). HarperCollins, Auckland, 2003. Available in most public libraries, through interloan, and in bookshops.
   

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Would you like to visit New Zealand?

Overseas visitors who meet the admission requirements are welcome to attend Primary Certificate training in New Zealand. Feel free to enquire. While at present the New Zealand Primary Certificate is being developed as a local initiative, it will provide the same information and skills as elsewhere in the world, and we are negotiating for our Certificates to be recognised by REBT training centres in other countries at a later date. Take a look at our information section for overseas visitors.

LINKS TO OTHER TRAINING PAGES

·         Main listing of training events

·         Instructions & notes on registering

·         Registration form

·         Printable brochure (PDF format)

·         Participant's Information sheet (locations, times, etc.)

·         Registration form

·         Training venues

PRINTABLE VERSION

To download a printable version of this information, click here. This is in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format and requires the Adobe Acrobat Reader to open and print. You most likely already have this programme on your computer, but in the event that you don't, you can download it free from the following internet link: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html .

NB: Information in this document is subject to change without notice.

Copyright © 1997 New Zealand Centre for Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. Last modified: 28 November 2009