Why Beck Institute CBT Certification?
By Lisa Muchnick Pote, MSW
Executive Director, Beck Institute
As the Executive Director of the Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy for the past four years, I’ve heard so many stories about CBT. I’m in awe of how much high-quality CBT has improved the lives of individuals, their families, and even their communities around the world.
I also hear stories with a troublesome theme, about therapists who say they use CBT but produce poor clinical outcomes because of the low quality of the CBT they provide. We believe this skills gap exists for at least four reasons:
- Therapists receive inadequate training or supervision in CBT.
- Therapist drift from the model.
- Therapists practice eclectically, using some CBT techniques, but not conceptualizing clients according to the cognitive model.
- Therapists haven’t kept up to date with the research to upgrade their conceptual and technical knowledge.
Tying the two types of stories together does not take rocket science. There is a direct correlation between fidelity to the model Dr. Aaron Beck established so long ago and positive outcomes for clients. That is why we are establishing Beck Institute CBT Certification. It is our nonprofit mission to “Improve lives worldwide through excellence in CBT.” We recognize that raising the bar on quality is a key contribution to the field and one we want to make.
No one knows more about the skills gap than Dr. Judith Beck, our co-founder and an international leader in CBT. She educates therapists throughout the world and has been at the heart of the development of our certification program. Our certification sets a high bar, reflecting not just her father’s legacy, but also her own.
We look forward to hearing about how Beck Institute Certified Clinicians make a difference in the lives of their clients.