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| CBT The Center for Brief Therapy, PC, 10319 Dawson's Creek Blvd, Suite J, Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA 46825 260-969-5583; fax 260-969-5584; email: freemancbt@aol.com |
"The clearest and most responsible way for ANY professional to represent herself/himself to the public, third-
parties, and the profession as a specialist is to be certified through an organized peer process as meeting the
standards and demonstrating the competencies required in the specialty" (ABPP website, 2006).
Certification in Cognitive Therapy awarded based upon meeting exacting standards of the designed to identify
clinicians with the necessary training, experience, and knowledge to be effective cognitive therapists.
Lack of rigor in certification represents a significant problem for both clinicians and consumers. Certification by
the Academy of Cognitive Therapy and The American Board of Professional Psychology in Behavioral Therapy
(ABPP in BT) indicate to the public, potential employers, and other clinicians that the individual is a skilled
cognitive behavior therapist.
Academy of Cognitive Therapy
In October, 1996, thirty-six directors of cognitive therapy programs met in Philadelphia to discuss the merits of
creating an organization to certify qualified mental health professionals in cognitive therapy. As a result, the non-
profit Academy of Cognitive Therapy (ACT) was established in 1998.
Why establish such an organization? The program directors at the initial conference decided that it was vitally
important to certify individuals as cognitive therapists for several reasons:
Cognitive therapy, as developed by Aaron T. Beck, M.D., and refined by him and his colleagues, is an important
empirically validated psychotherapy which must maintain its own identity.
There has been confusion in the distinction between psychotherapy which incorporates some cognitive
techniques, and cognitive therapy which is based on a cognitive conceptualization.
The Academy of Cognitive Therapy and the American Board of Professional Psychology in Behavior Therapy are
the only certifying organizations for all psychotherapists who practice psychotherapy in the area of cognitive-
behavioral therapy that evaluates applicants' knowledge and ability before granting certification.
Many therapists identify themselves as cognitive therapists when their practice does not reflect such an
orientation. Consumers, agencies, insurance companies, and researchers may be misled by this self-appellation.
ACT awards certificates to individuals who have demonstrated an advanced knowledge of the theory of cognitive
therapy and expertise in its practice. ACT is multidisciplinary and includes mental health professionals from
around the world. Founding Fellows include internationally recognized leaders in the field.
Individuals who apply for membership must document training in cognitive therapy and their postgraduate
education. They are required to submit a written case summary with cognitive conceptualizations and audiotapes
of actual sessions to be rated by the Credentialing Committee. Certification provides a number of significant
benefits, which are described in detail on the ACT web site.
Given these rigorous requirements, we expect that ACT certification will become the 'gold standard' in the field and
will allow the professional and business communities and the public to identify highly skilled cognitive therapists
now and in the future.
Academy of Cognitive Therapy Website
The American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) serves the public need by providing oversight certifying
psychologists competent to deliver high quality services in various specialty areas of psychology. Board
certification (awarding of a Diploma in a specialty) assures the public that specialists designated by the ABPP
have successfully completed the educational, training, and experience requirements of the specialty, including an
examination designed to assess the competencies required to provide quality services in that specialty.
Currently there are thirteen member Specialty Boards. It should be noted that the practice activities in any
specialty seldom are exclusive to the specialty and that most practice activities are shared with the general
practice of professional psychology. The pattern of practice activities, including limiting the scope of practice, and
focusing upon more complex or unique problems or technologies is more relevant in defining a specialty together
with advanced education, training, and experience.
The American Board of Behavioral Psychology speciality certification in the area specific to cognitive behavior
therapy is the area of applied behavior analysis, cognitive behavior therapy, and cognitive therapy.
Qualification includes:
Having met the eligibility requirements, a candidate must pass an examination administered by the specialty
board. The examination is a collegial process by ABPP Board Certified examiners designed to allow the candidate
the opportunity to demonstrate the defining competencies required to practice the specialty. By definition, all
specialties are at an advanced level of competency. The purpose of the examination is to affirm that the candidate
is practicing at a specialty level, not at some normative level such as the top half of the specialty.
The format of the oral examination usually involves a “professional inquiry” based upon the candidate’s practice
samples; fundamental knowledge expected in the specialty; situational content representative of the specialty;
and professional issues/ethical problem solving capacity of the candidate.
To attain board certification in a specialty, an applicant must meet the general and the specialty eligibility
requirements which include:
A doctoral degree from a program in professional psychology which at the time the degree was granted was
accredited by the APA, CPA, or was listed in the publication Doctoral Psychology Programs Meeting Designation
Criteria. Applicants credentialed in the most recent direcotry of the National Register of Health Service Providers in
Psychology, the Canadian Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology, or the Certificate of Professional
Qualification in Psychology (CPQ) (ASPPB) qualify as meeting the doctoral degree requirements.
Licensure or Certification at the independent practice level as a psychologist in the State, Province, or Territory in
which the psychologist practices.
The American Board of Professional Psychology Website is: http://www.abpp.org/
Dr. Arthur Freeman is the ONLY Psychologist Certified by ABPP in the State of Indiana in Behavioral Psychology.
Dr. Arthur Freeman and Dr. Sharon Freeman are the only A.C.T. certified Cognitive Therapists in Northern Indiana.
parties, and the profession as a specialist is to be certified through an organized peer process as meeting the
standards and demonstrating the competencies required in the specialty" (ABPP website, 2006).
Certification in Cognitive Therapy awarded based upon meeting exacting standards of the designed to identify
clinicians with the necessary training, experience, and knowledge to be effective cognitive therapists.
Lack of rigor in certification represents a significant problem for both clinicians and consumers. Certification by
the Academy of Cognitive Therapy and The American Board of Professional Psychology in Behavioral Therapy
(ABPP in BT) indicate to the public, potential employers, and other clinicians that the individual is a skilled
cognitive behavior therapist.
Academy of Cognitive Therapy
In October, 1996, thirty-six directors of cognitive therapy programs met in Philadelphia to discuss the merits of
creating an organization to certify qualified mental health professionals in cognitive therapy. As a result, the non-
profit Academy of Cognitive Therapy (ACT) was established in 1998.
Why establish such an organization? The program directors at the initial conference decided that it was vitally
important to certify individuals as cognitive therapists for several reasons:
Cognitive therapy, as developed by Aaron T. Beck, M.D., and refined by him and his colleagues, is an important
empirically validated psychotherapy which must maintain its own identity.
There has been confusion in the distinction between psychotherapy which incorporates some cognitive
techniques, and cognitive therapy which is based on a cognitive conceptualization.
The Academy of Cognitive Therapy and the American Board of Professional Psychology in Behavior Therapy are
the only certifying organizations for all psychotherapists who practice psychotherapy in the area of cognitive-
behavioral therapy that evaluates applicants' knowledge and ability before granting certification.
Many therapists identify themselves as cognitive therapists when their practice does not reflect such an
orientation. Consumers, agencies, insurance companies, and researchers may be misled by this self-appellation.
ACT awards certificates to individuals who have demonstrated an advanced knowledge of the theory of cognitive
therapy and expertise in its practice. ACT is multidisciplinary and includes mental health professionals from
around the world. Founding Fellows include internationally recognized leaders in the field.
Individuals who apply for membership must document training in cognitive therapy and their postgraduate
education. They are required to submit a written case summary with cognitive conceptualizations and audiotapes
of actual sessions to be rated by the Credentialing Committee. Certification provides a number of significant
benefits, which are described in detail on the ACT web site.
Given these rigorous requirements, we expect that ACT certification will become the 'gold standard' in the field and
will allow the professional and business communities and the public to identify highly skilled cognitive therapists
now and in the future.
Academy of Cognitive Therapy Website
The American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) serves the public need by providing oversight certifying
psychologists competent to deliver high quality services in various specialty areas of psychology. Board
certification (awarding of a Diploma in a specialty) assures the public that specialists designated by the ABPP
have successfully completed the educational, training, and experience requirements of the specialty, including an
examination designed to assess the competencies required to provide quality services in that specialty.
Currently there are thirteen member Specialty Boards. It should be noted that the practice activities in any
specialty seldom are exclusive to the specialty and that most practice activities are shared with the general
practice of professional psychology. The pattern of practice activities, including limiting the scope of practice, and
focusing upon more complex or unique problems or technologies is more relevant in defining a specialty together
with advanced education, training, and experience.
The American Board of Behavioral Psychology speciality certification in the area specific to cognitive behavior
therapy is the area of applied behavior analysis, cognitive behavior therapy, and cognitive therapy.
Qualification includes:
Having met the eligibility requirements, a candidate must pass an examination administered by the specialty
board. The examination is a collegial process by ABPP Board Certified examiners designed to allow the candidate
the opportunity to demonstrate the defining competencies required to practice the specialty. By definition, all
specialties are at an advanced level of competency. The purpose of the examination is to affirm that the candidate
is practicing at a specialty level, not at some normative level such as the top half of the specialty.
The format of the oral examination usually involves a “professional inquiry” based upon the candidate’s practice
samples; fundamental knowledge expected in the specialty; situational content representative of the specialty;
and professional issues/ethical problem solving capacity of the candidate.
To attain board certification in a specialty, an applicant must meet the general and the specialty eligibility
requirements which include:
A doctoral degree from a program in professional psychology which at the time the degree was granted was
accredited by the APA, CPA, or was listed in the publication Doctoral Psychology Programs Meeting Designation
Criteria. Applicants credentialed in the most recent direcotry of the National Register of Health Service Providers in
Psychology, the Canadian Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology, or the Certificate of Professional
Qualification in Psychology (CPQ) (ASPPB) qualify as meeting the doctoral degree requirements.
Licensure or Certification at the independent practice level as a psychologist in the State, Province, or Territory in
which the psychologist practices.
The American Board of Professional Psychology Website is: http://www.abpp.org/
Dr. Arthur Freeman is the ONLY Psychologist Certified by ABPP in the State of Indiana in Behavioral Psychology.
Dr. Arthur Freeman and Dr. Sharon Freeman are the only A.C.T. certified Cognitive Therapists in Northern Indiana.
Certification in Cognitive Therapy: Quality Control for Therapists
