Accreditation

Membership of The International Group of Trauma Informed Psychotherapy Specialisation

We welcome those who demonstrate a commitment to psychoanalysis in their clinical work, in their engagement in a personal analysis, in their involvement in ongoing learning, and in their willingness to share actively in the work of IGPS. Membership is free once strict criteria is met.

Continuous Professional process work is imperative for members to further develop their theoretical and clinical knowledge while at the same time providing the permanent updating necessary to meet with the highest standards of practice. Membership in other professional accreditation bodies does not qualify you to become a member with IGPS, due to our strict membership criteria. Our goal is to develop a small group of clinicians around the world who have dedicated many years in specialised training, education, research and clinical observation and can offer a highly integrated complex model of treatment to clients and patients who present with complex trauma.

We offer direct access to Practitioner Membership to those applicants who fulfill the following conditions:

1. Successful completion of a psychodynamically based psychotherapy training at Master’s level or equivalent field of study or equivalent infield psychotherapy training in a non regconised institute.
2. Engagement in a personal psychotherapy for a period of at least five years and 400 hours with at least 200 hours in personal group psychotherapy.
3. Engagement in supervised clinical practice for at least three years with at least 3000 hours of client work including 1000 hours of clinical supervision
4. Ongoing engagement in psychotherapy clinical practice
5. Demonstration of an ongoing commitment to psychotherapy by virtue of engagement in a reading group, the attendance at clinical or academic workshops or conferences, and/or personal research and reading.
6. Successful completion of training in a variation of some or all of the following areas: Polyvagal Theory , attachment research & developmental trauma, traumatology, transference focussed psychotherapy, neurosequential model, interpersonal neurobiology and somatic orientated psychotherapy.

IGPS accreditation is the highest standard of professional accreditation in Europe. The present requirements have been designed to far exceed the criteria laid down by the European Council for Psychotherapy and American psychological association.

Level of Competence

Entry is at a postgraduate level. Applicants should normally have completed at least 3 years of general training in human sciences, (Medicine, Psychology, Social Studies, Education, Philosophy, Humanities, etc.), or have demonstrated equivalent competency through a combination of work and life experience which is at least 5000 clinical hours.

Theoretical Studies

The applicant will be required to demonstrate familiarity with a representative selection of psychoanalytic theories such as transference, repitition compulsion, projected identification, compromise formation, and defense mechanisms. Polyvagal theory principles and traumatology concepts.

Professional Information

Training in Psychotherapy shall enable the candidate to (a) understand the unconscious dynamics of the therapist / client relationship; (b) acquire the necessary intervention skills; (c) have integrated theory and the practice through the Training Analysis.