The work of psychotherapists in relation to mental health is extremely important nowadays, and it is not strange that many individuals have the need to go to psychotherapy sessions to resolve some conflict from the past, improve some aspect of their life, acquire greater self-knowledge, achieve emotional balance, etc.

In a society that demands so much of us, the psychologist must be prepared to attend to patients who need it with the maximum guarantees .

The importance of continuing education

Without a doubt, good training is the best investment to be able to grow professionally and do a good job as a psychotherapist, but there are many psychology students who, on completing the Degree or Masters in General Health Psychology, recognise that they are not fully prepared to practice as psychological therapy professionals. The degree touches on a little of everything and provides a good foundation, but it is impractical and does not prepare you to be able to sit in front of a patient with complete confidence.

Fortunately, some educational institutions offer a variety of training opportunities and certifications for therapists interested in their own professional training. These programmes, of excellent quality, are designed for those psychologists who have already completed the Psychology Degree (and in many cases the General Health Master’s), for those professionals with extensive experience in the therapeutic field who want to continue learning, and for students in the career who are finishing their studies and have already visualised their future as therapists.

The best psychotherapy courses

This week we have prepared a list of courses in psychotherapy that we think may be interesting for psychologists who wish to engage or are engaged in this area of behavioral science.

Some of them are ideal for treating a specific population group, others provide tools, methods and psychotherapeutic skills needed to meet patients’ expectations, and others offer the possibility of acquiring practical experience, so necessary for the proper performance of the profession. All these programs are excellent and provide great knowledge.

1. The Practice of Couple’s Therapy (Instituto de la Pareja, Murcia)

This course addresses one of the most important issues in the work of psychologists dedicated to assisting patients and families: couples therapy services. It is a 20-hour training program divided into 4 sessions, with a maximum of 12 students. It takes place in the facilities of Instituto de la Pareja, in Murcia .

Among its contents we find interesting topics such as brief strategic therapy in couple’s therapy, the use of questionnaires and self-registration, the way to do interviews separately or in couples, the Gottman Method for intervention in couples, etc.

If you are interested in seeing the contact details of Instituto de la Pareja, click here.

2. Course “Skills of the Therapist” (Miguel Ángel Rizaldos)

Much of the success in psychological therapy is the relationship of trust that exists between the therapist and the patient. Therapeutic skills, therefore, are key to the patient’s ability to notice an improvement in his or her mental health after consultation with a psychologist. For this reason, Miguel Ángel Rizaldos, one of the most prestigious clinical psychologists in our country, who has more than 20 years of experience offering psychotherapy sessions, teaches the online course “Therapeutic Skills” .

Thanks to this course, you can improve your communication and language before, during and after the sessions, identify your strengths or weaknesses when practicing as a psychotherapist, positively influence the facilitating variables of an efficient therapy (motivation, authenticity, creativity, etc.), adopt a relational style as a therapist that favors therapist-patient trust regardless of the patient’s age (children, adolescents and adults) and much more.

If you are a psychologist, doctor, psychiatrist, occupational therapist, nurse or dietitian, this training can be very useful and can help you grow as a health professional.

To learn more, you can visit Miguel Angel Rizaldos’ website by clicking on this link.

3. University Expert in Third Generation Therapies (University of La Laguna, Tenerife)

In recent years, a new wave of therapies has begun to be used in psychotherapy because of its benefits. These types of therapies, called third generation therapies, have a more contextualised and holistic approach to the individual , and do not only take into account the patient’s symptoms or problems, but also focus on how the patient relates to the environment at the present time, placing special emphasis on verbal behaviour and clarification of values, always from the perspective of functionality.

Third generation therapies educate the patient in how they see the problem and how it depicts them, and pay special attention to internal dialogue and acceptance.

The University of La Laguna offers a course to delve into this topic, and provides the opportunity to enter into the different therapeutic visions of this new trend, for example, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Functional Analytic Psychotherapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy or Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy. In this way, psychologists leave behind the cognitive-behavioral approach to discover a new way of doing psychotherapy.

4. Course on the Application of Motivational Interviewing to Health Problems: A Useful Tool in Treatments (Centro de Psicología Aplicada, Madrid)

The Center for Applied Psychology belongs to the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, and is dedicated to assistance, research and training. One of the training activities it offers is the “Course on the Application of Motivational Interviewing to Health Problems: A Useful Tool in Treatment”. Motivational interviewing is a therapeutic approach , centred on the patient, which aims to initiate a change in behaviour in the latter by helping him/her to resolve his/her ambivalence.

Scientific research shows that it increases the internal motivation of patients who are resistant to change and favours adherence to treatment, which is why it becomes a particularly useful tool for psychotherapeutic practice, providing a greater sense of satisfaction for both patients and professionals. The main objective of this course is to train psychologists who wish to specialize in this methodology.

5. Specialisation Course in Integrated Psychotherapy of Personality Disorders (University of Deusto, Bilbao)

Organised by the University of Deusto, the Foundation for Research in Psychotherapy and Personality (FUNDIPP) and the OMIE Foundation, this training activity is aimed at mental health professionals who have a particular interest in studying the different Personality Disorders in depth .

The teaching methodology is semi-presential, and the course gives access to a university degree given by the same university: “Postgraduate Diploma in Psychotherapy of Personality Disorders”. This training enables students to better understand this phenomenon and provides a wide repertoire of therapeutic skills applicable to daily clinical practice. It is aimed at psychologists with previous training in psychotherapy and clinical practice.

  • Related article: “The 10 Types of Personality Disorders”