Training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for psychosis:
Stanford Medicine: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
The University of Washington SPIRIT Lab – also has free options for helping families learn from CBTp.
The Institute of Cognitive Therapy for Psychosis (ICTP)
The Beck Institute offers training in Recovery Oriented Cognitive Therapy, an approach especially useful for people who are seen as having lots of “negative symptoms.”
Michael Garrett is an expert in combining CBT for psychosis with a psychodynamic approach. He offers online training at https://www.pany.org/psychosis-course
Ron Unger LCSW offers live training options as well as a few online courses that can be viewed anytime.
Options for getting training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for psychosis (CBTp) are often advertised on the website for The North American Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Psychosis Network (NACBTpN).
There is a guide published in May 2021 by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) on the need for the routine administration of CBTp in the U.S, and a second, more extensive document – The Position Statement on the Routine Administration of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Psychosis as the Standard of Care for Individuals Seeking Treatment for Psychosis. Together these documents provide a rationale for sustainable CBTp implementation and deliver key recommendations to support broad intra- and inter-organizational adoption for individuals who have or are at risk of developing a psychotic disorder.
The CBT for Psychosis Training Institute located in Ottowa and Toronto, Canada. Integrates CBT with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Compassion Focused Therapy approaches.
Michael Best offers a yearly multi-day virtual training in Conceptualization-Driven CBT for Psychosis.
The Feeling Safe Programme is a new CBT approach. Developed with over a decade’s research, it appears to be the most effective psychological treatment for persecutory delusions developed so far. Online trainings are planned. Stanford Medicine (see the link above) is currently attempting to persuade them to arrange to teach the course at a time convenient for those in the US.
Advanced training is available in the UK at various locations including King’s College, the University of Manchester or the University of Exeter.
An e-learning program for people in the UK is available through this link.
Training in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and mindfulness for psychosis:
The Association for Contextual Behavioral Science website lists training opportunities, some may relate to psychosis.
A recorded webinar with Eric Morris, a leader in the field, on the topic of ACT for psychosis, is available at this link. Or you can contact Eric directly about possible training opportunities at https://drericmorris.com/contact/
Metacognitive Approaches
MERIT (Metacognitive Reflection and Insight Therapy)
Metacognitive Training (MCT) for Psychosis.
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT):
Maggie Mullen does some training in this area, you can contact her through her website (maggiemullen.com) to find out more. Also, a recording of a two hour training she presented on DBT for psychosis is available at this link.
Psychodynamic therapy:
Michael Garrett is an expert in combining CBT for psychosis with a psychodynamic approach. He offers online training at https://www.pany.org/psychosis-course
A few graduate programs include at least some training in psychodynamic approaches for psychosis. Examples are Long Island University (Danielle Knafo teaches there), Adelphi University (Michael O’Laughlin teaches there), and NYU School of Social Work (Brian K Koehler teaches there.)
Family and dialogical approaches:
“Open Dialogue” is an approach that requires a team, but a single practitioner can practice many of its components. Training in dialogical approaches is available through the Institute for Dialogic Practice
Approaches developed within the hearing voices network:
Usually, training is offered only in how to facilitate hearing voices groups, but not in the specific ideas for coping, transformation, and recovery that are often explored withing such groups!
Training in the UK is available through https://www.hearing-voices.org/training/
Training in the US is available through http://www.hearingvoicesusa.org/
Working to Recovery offers innovative approaches that also address trauma and spiritual aspects. Live courses in the UK, also some online options, Karen Taylor is the primary organizer.
Peter Bulimore offers an online course on how to help with hearing voices and paranoia.
Compassion focused therapy, and Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy:
Charlie Heriot-Maitland offers training in Compassion Focused Therapy for psychosis, contact information is on this website and upcoming trainings are listed here. He also offers one self-paced online course Compassion Focused Therapy for Distressing Experiences In Psychosis.
A series of 15 free videos on compassionately engaging with voices is available here.
‘Stephanie Mitchell offers training in Internal Family Systems and related approaches for psychosis, you can contact her at stephanie@ifsconnections.com.au
Other opportunities:
Rai Waddingham offers a variety of trainings that draw from the Hearing Voices Network, Open Dialogue, and her own lived experience of psychosis.
Psychosis Understood: Making Meaning of Extreme States for Lasting Recovery is a 3 hour digital training with Dr. Chelsea Mackey.
A list of some additional online courses available that relate to psychosis is available here.
Mad in America Continuing Education offers diverse webinars, many of which may relate to therapy for psychosis.
The International Society for Psychological and Social Approaches to Psychosis (ISPS) brings together clinicians, people with lived experience of psychosis, and family members. There is a US Chapter (ISPS-US) and a UK Chapter (ISPS-UK). ISPS and its chapters hold conferences and provide webinars relevant to diverse forms of therapy for psychosis. You can signup to be notified about all ISPS-US events here.
Books, videos, articles, etc.: There is a lot out there you can learn from! I put together a list of some resources related to CBT for psychosis and trauma and psychosis available at this link.
