The world of psychology is fascinating, but it is also very demanding; new discoveries appear every year, and that is why it is necessary to be constantly trained. In the field of psychotherapy, specifically, we must try to offer clients and patients a service that has the latest theoretical and practical updates.

Therefore, having the possibility of accessing the best training in psychological therapy not only provides added value in the labour market; it also has a real impact on the quality of psychotherapeutic intervention.

In search of the best training in psychological therapy

In a psychotherapy session there are many elements that play a role in the improvement of patients or clients.

On the one hand, there is the relational and contextual aspect of the therapy ; the way in which it offers a framework in which to express concerns without fear of being judged, and the fact of knowing that there is someone who will listen to what is explained about what is worrying.

On the other hand we find the specific elements of psychological intervention , those that are part of the main mechanisms of recovery through therapy. For example, in phobia intervention, these elements have to do with the way in which fear and anxiety in the face of phobic stimuli are gradually diminished.

Both categories of psychotherapeutic elements, which are related to the competencies hard and the soft , can and should be trained through training programmes that take into account everything that leads to positive results.

In short, to be trained as a psychotherapist it is not enough to have internalized a series of theoretical knowledge that could have been perfectly acquired by reading manuals; it is also essential to have received training in real health contexts, in which the focus is also on the practical aspects of psychological therapy. The reality is much more complex than we might think at first by looking at a book.

Practical training courses for all tastes

Fortunately, today there are many institutions with training programs that are aware that training psychotherapists in those practical and spontaneous aspects that arise in the daily life of the profession is something that is indispensable.

For example, the Practice Course in Couple’s Therapy organized by the Couple’s Institute is an excellent option for mastering the key aspects of this type of psychological assistance that is so much in demand. This 20-hour training program, divided into 4 sessions , takes place at the Instituto de la Pareja in Murcia , and allows you to learn things like the use of the couple’s interview, the different intervention models, the most common practices and exercises, etc.

Another excellent option is the Mindfulness Course of Stress Reduction organized by Psicotools , center of psychology of Barcelona (district of Gràcia). Here you learn the basics of the MBSR program, and consists of 9 classes made with a manual and audios (with which to perform exercises) provided by the entity itself of this training program. You will find the contact details of Psicotools by clicking here.

Other examples of learning programs

There are some other centres where it is possible to train in contexts where the border between academia and application is blurred.

For example, the Miguel Hernández University in Elche has an excellent option for learning about therapy applied to populations that have not yet reached adulthood, through the Master’s Degree in Child and Adolescent Psychological Therapy. In this case, the learning program is supported by three pillars : the psychological intervention itself, the basic theoretical foundations, and the applications of all the above in the working world.

On the other hand, it should be noted that third generation therapies, which are precisely characterized by the focus on the importance of the way in which psychological problems are contextualized, add one more reason why it is necessary to be trained in the practical and not only in theoretical contents.

In this sense, the University of La Laguna (Tenerife) applies this principle to its “University Course in Third Generation Therapies” through a program that is well adapted to the philosophy of holistic intervention that many patients need so that the advances made in therapy can be generalized to many other areas of their lives.

In conclusion

It should always be kept in mind that a good part of the foundation of psychotherapy consists in proposing concrete measures to adjust to specific problems . For this, it is not enough to know the theory; one must develop a professional skill that, applied to psychological therapy, serves to find the best specific solution to the problems of unique people with their own idiosyncrasies.