Online Training Courses and Distance Learning Programs in Child Psychotherapies (e.g., cognitive behavioral therapy, behavioral therapy, and collaborative problem solving therapy)

The need for new, high quality online learning courses in child psychotherapy has never been greater.  Given parents' understandable concerns about using psychoactive medications in a developing child, parents are more and more seeking non-medication therapies.  However, most therapists have not been trained in the latest, evidence-based therapies for children, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), parent management training (also called behavioral therapy), or collaborative problem solving (CPS) therapy.  In part, this "science to service" gap is a result of the over-reliance on lectures to teach clinicians new skills.  But skills are best learned by feedback and practice, and fine-tuning of these skills over time, often with the help of a coach.  Just as a lecture never really taught anyone how to swim or ride a bike, child psychotherapy skills take time, chances to practice and problem-solve, and feedback and support of a coach, plus sometimes other learning partners/colleagues.  Another difficulty related to why most therapists have not learned these skills are the simple facts of costs: although the REACH Institute provides hands-on, sustained learning courses for therapists in CBT, CPS, and behavioral therapy, these face-to-face programs have always required the therapists to leave the office to travel to a distant city for 2-5 days to participate in continuing  educational programs (CME) in child psychotherapy. While such approaches can have great advantages for learning and skill development, they may represent a barrier to learning for many therapists, if we consider all of the associated costs - loss of practice income, hotel, meals, and travel expenses, plus the costs of the continuing education program itself.

The Need for Online and Distance Learning Training Programs in Child Psychotherapies

Understanding the urgent need for more accessible continuing education training programs in child psychotherapy the REACH Institute is pioneering new online training courses delivered via the web, using a combination of 2 state of the art but different learning approaches: 1) asynchronous: video materials (e.g., brief didactic video lectures and vignettes), followed by personal application and practice, quizzes, and downloadable clinical tools, all of which will facilitate your learning at your own convenience, anytime day or night;  orsynchonous: interactive webinars organized into small peer learning groups, with live demonstrations of techniques, role plays, and interactive group work all delivered live over the web, coupled with the availability all of the online learning materials listed under the first option. These synchronous training programs are scheduled at a times convenient for busy practitioners, such as during the noon hour, early mornings, or at the end of the work day.

Skills Taught  and Topics Covered in REACH's Child Psychotherapy Online Learning Programs

In both types of distance learning programs, psychotherapists learn the key skills and pearls that will help you obtain all of the essential assessment information, and arrive at an accurate diagnosis.  Video vigenettes and demonstrations of clinicians who are interviewing and evaluating patients the "right way" vs. the "wrong way" are offered.  Webinars in synchronous trainings provide live demonstrations of the optimal interviewing and diagnostic methods. Clinicians are also taught the use of rating scales and other assessment tools that can efficiently guide through your differential diagnosis.  Depending on how many online learning modules you enroll in, these distance learning programs address all of the key diagnosis and treatment challenges now faced by psychotherapists: the diagnosis and psychotherapeutic treatment of childhood anxiety disorders, depression, ADHD (including complicated, comorbid cases), aggression, and autism and spectrum disorders.  If you are interested in any of these new online learning programs in child psychotherapy, contact Lisa Hunter Romanelli, PhD, Executive Director of the REACH Institute via the "Contact" link at the bottom of this webpage.